Kolkata

KOLKATA : With the political violence that exploded in Bhatpara during the assembly bypolls refusing to end even after a month, life of people has been the worst casualty.  

Kachhari Bazar, which has been the epicentre of Thursday’s violence, now appears to be desolate. It wasn’t so in the morning before the clash started. Closed for several days due to clashes, cops from the Bhatpara police station held a meeting with traders and the market committee on Wednesday night. Police repeatedly urged them to reopen the market to bring back normalcy.  

Ajit Shaw, who works at Reliance Jute Mill, said, “Life here has been completed disrupted for the past month. The market opens for a day or two and then, it is shut down as clashes break out. After today’s violence, I do not know when it will reopen. We need to go elsewhere to purchase even the basic household articles and food. ” 

Jamir Ahmed, a trader, who stays and works at Number 5 railway siding, said, “The entire month of Ramzan was wasted as we were forced to keep the shops shut on most days. We hoped that after the elections, normalcy would be restored. If we do not open the shops for days together, how do we earn and how will we feed our families? People are terrified to even step out. This has to end. ” Santosh Shaw, whose shop is not far from Jamir’s, echoed him: 

“Even during the strife, I had tried my best to keep my shop open. Though this is a minority belt, I have my shop here for years and when I thought I will have to close it down, the locals assured me they would guard it themselves. However, this recent violence has led to prohibitory orders. I can’t open my shop. ” 

A middle-aged woman, who runs a tea stall near Jagatdal Jute Mill, was scared even to speak. “I opened my shop on Thursday after several weeks. But I had to close it down within a few hours,” she said. “My daughter is a private tutor. She has stopped all her classes after evening. ” 

Kankinara Bazar has been affected badly with the violence and the consequent looting. Once a bustling place, the market could not be opened for nearly a week. “Nowadays, we don’t dare to keep our shops open till 10pm, fearing a clash might break out. Now, we shut by 8pm-8. 30pm,” a trader said.

The roadside food stalls had slowly started opening in the evening. “But owing to the bombing and firing over the past three days kept our customers away,” said a street food vendor at Kankinara Bazar.  

“Anything can happen at any time,” said a youth who runs a music school on the other side of the railway tracks, supposedly a more peaceful area.