Fact Check: Killing Of Youths at Darivit High School in Islampur, West Bengal

NARRATIVE ON SOCIAL MEDIA

Recently on various social media handles, a story of 2 Dalit students being killed in Islampur , West Bengal is being circulated with videos, gruesome & bloody pictures and inflammatory texts.

ममता बनर्जी सरकार में पुलिस, स्कूल की वर्दी पहने, पीठ पर स्कूल का बस्ता डाले, निहत्थे 14-16 साल के विद्यार्थियों पर गोली चलाती है।

ये पश्चिम बंगाल के इस्लामपुर में बांग्ला शिक्षक की बजाय उर्दू शिक्षकों की बेजा भर्ती के विरुद्ध आंदोलन का स्थानिक मीडिया की रिपोर्ट के अंश।#ABVP pic.twitter.com/rpJQ70Mgo7

— Ashish Chauhan (@AshishSainram) September 22, 2018

https://twitter.com/learnerpritom/status/1043099132116664320

Two students were shot & killed by WB police. All they wanted Hindu Bengali teachers for relevant subjects in their school (not Urdu subject) & CM Mamata Banerjee appointed Muslims instead. #BengalDalitStudentsKillings pic.twitter.com/Hoz1eqkvZz

— Biswajit Roy 🇮🇳 (@biswajitroy2009) September 24, 2018

#BengalDalitStudentsKillings is a popular hash-tag for sharing & spreading information about this incident.

ON WHATSAPP :

 

Text being shared:

“Read all about Islampur clash: Another student dies, BJP bandh underway here https://www.newsbytesapp.com/timeline/India/32421/144086/islampur-clash-another-student-dies-bjp-bandh-underway?utm_source=timeline-desktop&utm_medium=share-whatsapp&utm_campaign=PageExtras
This Is The Beginning Of Hinduism In India..
Whatever Happens In Bengal Happens in India.. Positive Or Negative..
If My Predictions Are Right.. Within In The Next 25 Years.. Hinduism Will Cease To Exists In India..
Kashmir Is Already Gone.. Kerala Is Gone Too.. Bengal Is Just A Couple Of Years Away.. Punjab Too Is In The Same Lines.. Tamilnadu, Karnataka, Andhra & Telangana Are On Threshold.. Appeasement Is On In Big Way..”

Other comments in Bengali being shared on Whats App:
এ যেন‌ও কয়েক শতক পিছিয়ে স্বাধীনতা পূর্ব ইতিহাসের পুনরাবৃত্তি। যেখানে বিশ্ব বাংলার তরতাজা প্রান প্রশাসনের গুলিতে ছিন্নভিন্ন হয় সেই মাতৃভাষা শিক্ষার অধিকারের দাবিতে। এ যেন‌ও লক্ষাধিক ক্ষুদিরামের পুনর্জন্ম হচ্ছে দূরাচারী লর্ড কার্জনদের রাইফেলের সামনে বুক চিতিয়ে দেওয়ার জন্য।
#শহিদ_রাজেশ_সরকার
#শহিদ_তাপস_বর্মন
#MamataAgainstBengali

প্রেস বিজ্ঞপ্তি:- তারিখ- ২১-৯-২০১৮
*পুলিশের গুলিতে ABVP দাড়িভিট শাখার সহ সম্পাদক রাজেশ সরকার সহ তাপস বর্মনের মৃত্যুর ঘটনার দোষীদের গ্রেফতার ও শাস্তি এবং শিক্ষা মন্ত্রীর অবিলম্বে পদত্যাগের দাবি জানায়- ABVP*
অখিল ভারতীয় বিদ্যার্থী পরিষদ, উত্তর দিনাজপুর জেলার দাড়িভিট হাইস্কুলে উর্দুর শিক্ষক নিযুক্ত করার ঘটনাকে কেন্দ্র করে ছাত্র-ছাত্রীদের বিক্ষোভ দমনে পুলিশের গুলিতে মৃত্যু হয় ABVP দাড়িভিট শাখার সহ সম্পাদক রাজেশ সরকার এবং তাপস বর্মণ । আহত হয়েছেন অনেক ছাত্র ছাত্রী এবং গ্রামবাসী, এর মধ্যে বর্তমান স্কুল ছাত্র বিপ্লব সরকার ( পায়ে গুলি লাগে) , নামের ছাত্রের অবস্থা আশঙ্কাজনক। ABVP পশ্চিমবঙ্গ শাখা এই ঘটনার তীব্র ভাষায় নিন্দা জানায় ,এই ঘটনার দোষীদের গ্রেফতার- শাস্তি এবং শিক্ষা মন্ত্রীর অবিলম্বে পদত্যাগের দাবি জানায় । সেই সঙ্গে ABVP পশ্চিমবঙ্গ আগামী ২২-০৯-১৮ তারিখে রাজ্য জুড়ে ছাত্র বিক্ষোভের ডাক দিয়েছে।
দাড়িভিট হাইস্কুলের ছাত্র ছাত্রীদের দাবী ছিল যে স্কুলটি বাংলা মিডিয়াম এবং স্কুলে কোনো উর্দুর ছাত্রছাত্রী নেই। এরপরেও স্কুলে উর্দুর 2টি শিক্ষক নিয়োগ করার উদ্যোগ নেয় স্কুল কর্তৃপক্ষ কিন্তু স্কুলে বাংলা , ইতিহাস ও ইংরেজির পর্যাপ্ত শিক্ষক ছিল না।স্কুলে বিজ্ঞানের কোন বিভাগ নেই, প্রায় ১৭০০ ছাত্র ছাত্রীর স্কুলে বিজ্ঞান, বাংলা, ইতিহাস ও ইংরেজির শিক্ষক নিযুক্ত না করিয়ে আবার উর্দুর শিক্ষক নিযুক্ত করার ঘটনা সামনে আসতেই স্কুলের ছাত্র-ছাত্রীরা প্রতিবাদ করে। ABVP পশ্চিমবঙ্গ রাজ্য সম্পাদক শ্রী সপ্তর্ষী সরকার এই ঘটনার তীব্র ভাষায় নিন্দা জানিয়ে গভীর চিন্তা ব্যক্ত করে বলেন যে , “আজ রাজ্য জুড়ে পশ্চিমবঙ্গে ছাত্র ছাত্রীরা নিজেদের প্রাপ্য অধিকার চাইতে গেলেও, তাহাদেরকে পুলিশের গুলি এবং বর্বর হামলার সন্মুখিন হয়ে ছাত্র ছাত্রীদের প্রান দিতে হচ্ছে। রাজ্যে এক অঘোষিত আপাতকাল চলছে,রাজ্যে এখন গণতন্ত্র বলে কিছু নেই। দাড়িভিট হাইস্কুলের ছাত্র ছাত্রীদের গুলি এবং বর্বর হামলাকারী দোষীদের গ্রেফতার ও শাস্তি এবং শিক্ষা মন্ত্রীর অবিলম্বে পদত্যাগের দাবি জানায় ABVP । সেই সঙ্গে *ABVP পশ্চিমবঙ্গ আগামী ২২-০৯-১৮ তারিখে রাজ্য জুড়ে ছাত্র বিক্ষোভের ডাক দিয়েছে।*

সপ্তর্ষী সরকার- ৭৯০৮০৫৫৭১৮

(উক্ত প্রেস বিজ্ঞপ্তি ABVP রাজ্য কার্যলয় সম্পাদক অবিনাশ চৌধুরী দ্বারা প্রকাশ করা হয়েছে)

TRANSLATION:
“It seems like this is the repetition of hundred year old history, where the youthful life of Bengali was shattered to pieces with the bullets of administration just because it demanded that the mother tongue should be the preferred language of teaching. It seems like the rebirth of lakhs and lakhs of Kshudirams, who lay their fearless chests in front of the rifle of the mischievous Lord Carzon.
# Saheed_Rajesh_Sarkar
#Saheed_Tapas_Barman
#Mamata Against Bengali

Press Release:- Date 21.09.2018
*Assistant Editor of ABVP Dwarivit branch, Rajesh Sarkar along with Tapas Barman were killed in a police firing. We demand the immediate arrest and severe punishment of the culprits. We also demand the resignation of Education Minister on an immediate basis- ABVP*

Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad, this incident was related to the recruitment of an Urdu teacher in Dwarivit High School, North Dinajpur, when the police tried to repress the protesting students and fired shots which killed Assistant Editor of ABVP, Dwarivit branch and Tapas Barman. Many students and villagers were injured, among whom an existing student of the school named Biplab Sarkar (was shot in his leg) is said to be in critical condition. ABVP West Bengal branch has strongly condemned the incident and they also demanded the immediate arrest and punishment of the culprits and resignation of the education minister. The ABVP has also called for protests by students across the state on 22.09.2018.

The students of Dwarivit High School came up with the accusation that in spite of the fact that their school is Bengali medium and there are no Urdu students in that school, the authority has taken the initiative to recruit two Urdu teachers; but there were not enough teachers for subjects like Bengali, History and English. There is no department of Science in the school. The school consists of nearly 1700 students. When the incident of recruiting Urdu teachers without even recruiting teachers for subjects like Science, Bengali, History and English came into light, the students started protesting. West Bengal state editor of ABVP, Sree Saptarshi Sarkar, has strongly condemned this incident and expressed deep thoughts stating that, ‘ Today, in West Bengal, even if the students of the state tries to get the rights they deserve, they have to sacrifice their lives because of the bullets fired by police and barbarous attack. There is an undeclared emergency going on in this state where there is nothing called ‘Democracy’. ABVP demands the immediate arrest and punishment of the culprits and also the resignation of the education minister. ABVP, West Bengal has called for student’s protest all over the state.’
Saptarshi Sarkar- 7908055718
(The above press release has been published by ABVP state Editor Abinash Chowdhury)”

OUR FACT CHECK

Fact Crescendo team did a fact check on this incident. We did Google reverse search of various pictures (given below) being shared and also checked official twitter handles of West Bengal Police to fact check the story.

Our readers can verify the same by themselves, by doing Google Reverse search of these pictures.
Fact Crescendo team then did a Google search on various online news sites and picked the actual story behind these pictures. Few of the links are given below; our readers can visit these sites and read in-depth about this incident.

Death of ABVP youths: BJP, RSS call for ‘Bangla Bandh’ on Sep 26

https://www.theweek.in/news/india/2018/09/22/Death-of-ABVP-youths-BJP-RSS-call-for-Bangla-Bandh-on-Sep-26.html

West Bengal: Police fire on students for protesting appointment of Urdu teachers, two dead

West Bengal: Police fire on students for protesting appointment of Urdu teachers, two dead

One more student dies in Bengal clash, toll two

https://www.business-standard.com/article/news-ians/one-more-student-dies-in-bengal-clash-toll-two-118092101062_1.html

http://http://www.worldtrendingstuff.com/breaking-news/news/while-students-are-being-killed-by-polices-bullets-in-west-bengal-mamata-banerjee-is-playing-accordion-in-germany

West Bengal: One killed, 14 injured as locals clash with police in North Dinajpur

https://www.firstpost.com/india/west-bengal-one-killed-14-injured-as-locals-clash-with-police-in-north-dinajpur-5228801.html

Islampur Clashes, Student Deaths Risk Sparking New Political Flashpoint In Bengal

https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/islampur-in-west-bengal-is-turning-out-to-be-the-new-political-flashpoint-after-the-death-of-2-youth-1920871

SUMMARY OF INCIDENT

As per media reports, two persons died and several sustained critical injuries after protests erupted at Darivit High School in North Dinajpur district’s Islampur on Thursday, 20^th September 2018. Rajesh Sarkar, a former student of the school, succumbed to bullet injuries and was declared dead on arrival at the Islampur hospital. Later, Taposh Barman, a student of class 11, who was in a critical condition succumbed to his injuries at the North Bengal Medical College. Another student Saurav Barman is undergoing treatment at the Islampur Hospital for bullet injury on his leg.

The incident took place at Darivit High School where students were protesting against the State Government, demanding recruitment of main subject teachers (science, maths and Bengali literature), but Bengal Government ended up in sending Urdu teachers ( some reports mentioned that a Sanskrit teacher was also among them).

When the teachers were blocked from entering the school premises by the protesters, police was unleashed by the State Government and the police resorted to Lathi (baton) charge and fired tear gas shells to disperse the students.

During the chaos 2 students, Rajesh Sarkar & Taposh Barman were shot & received bullet wounds.

Locals alleged the two students were killed in police firing but DIG Raiganj range Jayanta Paul denied the charge.

The Police categorically denied opening fire on the protesting students. “We fired rubber bullets and tear gas shells. We did not fire bullets. Our men were injured and the protesters vandalised police vehicles,” quoted District Police Superintendent Sumit Kumar to various news media.

Chairman of Islampur Municipality and Trinamool Congress MLA Kanhaiyalal Agarwal, reportedly said, “I have spoken to the officer-in-charge of Islampur police station. He categorically told me that the police did not open fire.”

The West Bengal Police official twitter account even gave this clarification:

In Darivit High School incident at Islampur, 2 persons who died were outsiders & not students of the school. Mis-information of police firing is being spread by some motivated persons with vested interest to forment further breach of peace in the area…(1/2)

— West Bengal Police (@WBPolice) September 21, 2018

(2/2)….. The unruly mob were armed with deadly weapons & attacked the Police due to which one policeman suffered gun shot injury & few others were injured. Police investigation is on to find out the instigators. 7 persons arrested.

— West Bengal Police (@WBPolice) September 21, 2018

But various news media quoted, District BJP president Sankar Chakraborty’s claim that the Police did actually open fire. “It is quite natural that students will hold protests demanding proper education. But it astonishing that the police would open fire in a school. The chief minister, who is also the police minister, should reply why her men have become so trigger happy,” he said. The BJP (Bharatiya Janta Party) has called for a 12-hour bandh in protest on 26^th September 2018.

The truth behind, whether Police fired or some other rowdy elements fired, which led to these students death, would only be known post final investigation report released either by Police or an independent investigative authority like CBI. We can only wait and watch how things unfold.

IN CONCLUSION

Fact Crescendo fact checked and found that this incident did actually happen at Darivit High School in North Dinajpur district’s Islampur in West Bengal on Thursday, 20th September 2018. These pictures and videos are real insofar their depiction of gruesome death & violence at this incident.

But we warn our readers to be aware that certain people with vested interests are hijacking this sad incident to create confirmation bias and communal disharmony within society. Some others are obfuscating the truth behind the incident. So, we advise our readers to fact check themselves also various news being shared online in regards to this incident, to have a bias free understanding of this incident.