Nearly 1,000 villagers, including those who have been driven out of their homes in Sateng-abari, today walked nearly 15 km from Mahespur to bury the body of Yaseen Meer and two-year-old Sania Khatun, both of whom were allegedly killed by CPM cadres after polls were held on May 7. After the ritual, nearly 300 homeless villagers from Satengabari, most of them Trinamool supporters, returned to their camps at Mahespur, vowing revenge after the polls.

Sabina Begum (name changed), Yaseen’s sister who was allegedly raped during the Nandigram flare-up in 2007, walked with the procession. “I lost my brother as he had rallied Trinamool voters into casting their votes ignoring the threat of CPM activists,” she said.

The funeral procession started from Mahespur around 9 am and reached Satengabari around 10.30 am, escorted by the police and RAF. In Satengabari, most of the male members had fled their homes after the murder. Women, who stayed back, came out today to attend the funeral procession.

Shiek Saharul, son of slain Yaseen Meer, said, “At least 25-30 CPM activists attacked our house around 3:30 pm. One of them, Tahid, hit my father with a wooden stick. They then dragged him out and beat him with iron rods and wooden sticks. I have disclosed the names of the assailants to the police.”

Pallab Kanti Ghosh, the East Midnapore SP, said the police had conducted raids in Satengabari but all the men had fled the place.

Two-year-old Sania was also buried near her house today. Her elder sister, 10-year-old Sukina, recounted the events of the tragic day. “Armed men attacked some houses around 4.30 pm. My mother Aliya Bibi went out with my sister to see what was happening. They fired from across the pond. One bullet hit Sania in the leg and went into my mother’s belly,” she said.

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