Ground Report Reveals Hindu Homes Marked with 'Black Ink' Before Murshidabad Carnage, Later Bombed and Set on Fire

Days after Muslim mobs ran riot in the Murshidabad district of West Bengal, it has come to light that the extremists marked Hindu homes with black ink in advance to carry out bombing and arson attacks selectively.

Visuals from the ground report by NMF news

The revelations were made exclusively by NMF News in their ground report published on Thursday (17th April).

Journalist Pankaj Prasoon was quoted saying, “They have made these markings so that rioters can know which house needs to be bombed and which house needs to be set ablaze.”

“Hindu homes were marked like this before the onset of riots…Every Hindu home in the area has been marked with black ink. Only those houses were attacked during the riots. Bombs were hurled and houses were set on fire,” he informed.

Journalist Pankaj Prasoon spoke with local Hindus and highlighted that violent Muslim mobs had entered Hindu neighborhoods, specifically identifying and selectively targeting pre-marked houses.

Targeted Assault on Hindus in Murshidabad

On Friday, April 11th, Murshidabad, a district with a Muslim majority, was the site of extensive violence, vandalism, arson, and targeted attacks against the Hindu community. These incidents occurred under the guise of protests against the recently passed Waqf Amendment Act.

The violence erupted in the Suti and Samserganj areas shortly after Jumma Namaz, as Muslim mobs began their rampage. What was initially framed as a peaceful protest quickly escalated into chaos, with property destruction and violent acts aimed at the Hindu residents.

One of the most notable incidents involved the destruction of a sweet shop owned by a Hindu couple. Extremists, posing as peaceful demonstrators, destroyed the shop and looted all of the couple's belongings, further escalating the tensions in the region.

The shop owner, tears streaming down their face, said, “I had a sweet shop here.” He then gestured towards his once-standing "Subha Smriti Hotel," now reduced to rubble.

“They took away all our belongings. including cash kept inside the shop…There is nothing left. How will we eat now?” the wife of the owner was overheard saying.

Muslims also damaged another establishment, 'Sri Hari Hindu Hotel & Lodge,' with footage of the destruction shared by the news agency ANI.

Local reports have also indicated attacks on Hindu temples and desecration of idols in Murshidabad. A video shared by Republic Bangla shows Trinamool Congress MP Khalilur Rahaman acknowledging that a temple was vandalised in Jangipur.

As per a report by India Today, the extremists also targeted homes of Hindu families.

“Several houses of Hindu families in the minority-dominated district were targeted and shops were attacked,” it stated.

“The protesters didn’t even spare an ambulance that got caught in the violence and set it ablaze. The driver of the ambulance was brutally thrashed before the vehicle was set on fire,” the report also highlighted.

An eyewitness told India Today that Muslims set an ambulance on fire and attacked the driver. “We were scared and sitting inside our homes. I had kept my parents, wife and children at home,” he narrated.

The Hindu man highlighted that the assailants were local Muslims, not outsiders. A recently surfaced CCTV footage reveals one of the attackers vandalizing the vehicle of a Hindu family in Murshidabad.

“They have destroyed and torched bikes, looted our belongings and set shops on fire,” another Hindu survivor of the Murshidabad carnage shared their account with ANI.

“I couldn’t sleep at night. We were awake and in fear. There was no police force when violence was being carried out here. The cops were running for their lives…Let us see if the government gives us compensation,” he added.

Manju Bhagat, the spouse of Hindu trader Amar Bhagat, shared with Aaj Tak, “They (Muslim mobs) tried to enter through the front gate. When they failed, they attempted to enter through the back gate.”

“They broke the bike, vandalised our home, and looted everything from chairs, mattresses, TV to expensive household items,” she added.

“Our whole family was praying to God. We were risking our lives and hiding on the terrace. We were chanting the name of God and praying that the mob leave the house. What would I have done if something happened to my daughter at that time” she shared the story of her ordeal.

The situation worsened to such an extent that thousands of Hindus were forced to flee their homes in Murshidabad, seeking refuge in the nearby Malda district by boat.

(This Article was originally published by OpIndia)