The murder of the youth Anis Khan, a former student of Aliah University and resident of Amta, Howrah, rocked the state today as Left student wings SFI and DYFI staged massive protests, demanding justice within the next five days while senior CPI-M leaders Sujan Chakraborty and Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya has questioned the chief minister Mamata Banerjee’s silence and demanded an investigation independent of state government into this “pre-meditated murder”.

Anis Khan, as was learnt from family members, was thrown off the terrace of his residence by unidentified assailants, one of them in police uniform, who entered the victim’s house at night, pointed a gun at his father and then murdered the son. His father demanded a CBI probe. Anis, as known from residents in the area, had a reputation for protesting against injustice and was outspoken. His death led to fierce protest in Amta today as hundreds of SFI and DYFI members surrounded Amta Police Station demanding justice for Anis. Though bamboo barricades were erected around the police station, the protesters dismantled them. Left youth leaders demanded the police deliver justice in the next five days.

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SFI activist Dipshita Dhar questioned how is it that police randomly enters a house without any warrant? “If it wasn’t police then how dare the police remain inactive despite being informed by the family that men in police uniform murdered their son? What is chief minister Mamata Banerjee doing? She ought to remember she is the police minister.”

A CPI-M delegation visited the area to meet the family members. Enraged villagers demanded to know what took so long for the police and the forensic team to arrive at the spot. Protest was also staged at Rajabazar in Kolkata where roads were blocked by Left student activists.

Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya, former Kolkata mayor and CPI-M MP, who was part of the delegation, said this was “pre-meditated murder”. He told media persons that Anis took a contrarian stance in several matters where gross injustice was apparent. He was part of a committee for social justice in Uluberia and had blown the lid off corruption prevalent in some of the hospitals here, encouraged by the ruling party, he alleged. “He was undoubtedly in the target list of Trinamul Congress. We don’t want state government agencies probing the case. We will take the matter to courts and ask for suitable investigating agencies to probe the matter.”

CPI-M leader and spokesperson Sujan Chakraborty questioned the silence of chief minister Mamata Banerjee on the issue and demanded that the CM visit the family of the deceased and promise them justice. “This was a brutal murder. It is shocking for the family and for the people of this state. There is no law and order in the state, paving way for rampant barbarity. We demand to know whether it was a police encounter or did TMC goons in police uniform murdered him? Anis had also put up strong protests against CAA/NRC.”

A Congress delegation too visited the area and met Anis’s family. Human Rights activist Bolan Gangopadhyay and social activist/thespian Kaushik Sen visited Amta and later said that the incident reveals a clear lapse in law and order. He remarked that had the police been doing its duty, this could have been averted. Mr Sen questioned how is it the police refused to take any measures after Anis intimated them earlier that he is facing threats to his life.