"I want peace, like before": Cobbler opens up shop eight days after violence in Murshidabad

Murshidabad (West Bengal) [India], April 18 (ANI): The situation in the violence-hit district of Murshidabad is slowly returning to normalcy, even as security forces continue to be deployed in the Dhuliyan area to ensure that law and order is maintained.

A cobbler, Shiva Ravidas, said he was able to open his shop today, eight days after the violence unfolded. Although, he added, many shops opened up in the market, shops belonging to Hindus remained closed.
"I had opened shop last on the day of the violence, and after that, I have opened it today, after eight days. There was so much chaos. The shops opened in the market a few days ago, but shops belonging to Hindus remained closed. It was announced yesterday that shops can be opened since there is assurance of security by the police and (security) forces," Shiva Ravidas told ANI.
Ravidas expressed fears about "chaos" occurring again and claimed that the situation became unmanageable on the day of the violence, as at least two people were murdered.

"Although I opened the shop, there is still a fear of chaos occurring again. On the day of the violence, the crowd came and gheraoed the police station here. Two or three people were murdered...the situation became unmanageable. Many people left their houses as well," he said.
"I want peace, like before. There shouldn't be any clashes," he added.
West Bengal Police on Thursday arrested another accused in connection with the murder of Hargobind Das and his son Chandan Das during the recent violence in Murshidabad, officials said.
This marks the third arrest in the case.
According to officials, the accused has been identified as Injamul Haq, a local of the area. He is alleged to have tampered with and destroyed CCTV footage related to the incident and is reportedly directly involved in the case.
Assistant Director General (ADG) of Police, South Bengal, Supratim Sarkar, said the State Special Task Force (STF) arrested Haq, who tried to disrupt the investigation by damaging local CCTV connections during the violence.
Meanwhile, amid the tense situation in some districts of West Bengal after the passage of the Waqf Amendment Act, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA and West Bengal Leader of Opposition (LoP) Suvendu Adhikari on Friday morning lauded the efforts of the judiciary for its decision to form a committee aimed at rehabilitating and compensating the victims of the violence.
He informed that the committee, which consists of officials from the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and the West Bengal Human Rights Commission, will be constituted to rehabilitate and compensate the victims. (ANI)