Malda: A pall of shock and fear has descended on Ashin Tola village under Gopalpur Gram Panchayat in Manikchak police station area of Malda after a local youth, Umar Faruq, was arrested in Kolkata on suspicion of terror links. The arrest has left his family and neighbours in utter disbelief, insisting that the 12th standard pass migrant worker has been falsely implicated.
According to family members, Umar had been working as a daily wage labourer in Kolkata for several years. “He told me he would come home for Eid. We last spoke on Sunday. He sounded completely normal:” said his wife, Semi Khatun, breaking down in tears. “My husband is innocent. He only worked hard to support us. How can he be a terrorist?”
Umar’s father, Akhtar Hossain, who once worked outside the state as a migrant labourer himself, turned speechless over the matter. The family learned about the arrest over the phone.
“He came home just two months ago. If there was anything suspicious, we would have noticed. He was simple and hardworking:” said Rohima Bibi, his mother.
“My son cannot even think of harming anyone. We were informed that he has been arrested on suspicion of being a terrorist.
We cannot believe this. He has no such connections. He has been framed:” she claimed.
Umar, the eldest son of the family, would reportedly send home between Rs 5,000 and Rs 10,000 every month to support his household. His younger brother, Hasan Ali, works as a toto driver in the locality.
Relatives and villagers echoed similar sentiments. “We have known Umar since childhood.
He was quiet and decent. This news has stunned us:” said Rohina Bibi, a relative. Local resident Numan Sheikh added:“The entire village is in fear. But we strongly believe he has been wrongly accused.”
Monirul Sheikh, a member of the Gram Panchayat, said: “The family is devastated. We urge the authorities to conduct a fair investigation. If he is innocent, he must be released immediately.”
As the investigation proceeds, anxiety grips the village, with many awaiting clarity on the allegations surrounding the young migrant worker.