A leader and a victim

The Statesman

SINGUR, (Hooghly), Dec. 18: Tapasi Malik (18), who was allegedly raped and subsequently murdered in Singur early this morning, played a key role in bringing farmers of Bajemelia together to fight against forcible acquisition of land by the state government.

Mr Shankar Jana, convener of the Singur Krishi Jomi Raksha Committee, said: “Tapasi was beaten up twice by the police ~ first at Singur block office on 25 September night when farmers led by the Trinamul Congress supremo lay siege and on 2 December afternoon when police resorted to a lathicharge.” “Tapasi had always been in the forefront of the peasants’ movement in Singur. She even brought her family members under the fold of Singur Krishi Jomi Raksha Committee (SKJRC), though her father didn’t own any land in Singur. Those who supported land acquisition had threatened her several times for participating in the movement,” said Mrs Dipa Moitra, Tapasi’s neighbour. Tapasi participated in yesterday’s hunger-strike by students of primary and secondary schools in affected moujas. n SNS