Vast stretches of land and several vehicles were swallowed by the river, while a shop and multiple houses are now on the verge of collapsing. Many families have begun shifting to safer areas, salvaging what remains of their homes.
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Even as flood-hit residents of Bhutni in Malda’s Manikchak block struggle to recover after the Fulhar river breached an embankment last week, fresh panic gripped Shankartola Ghat near Mathurapur in the same block on Monday morning following severe river erosion.
Vast stretches of land and several vehicles were swallowed by the river, while a shop and multiple houses are now on the verge of collapsing. Many families have begun shifting to safer areas, salvaging what remains of their homes.
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Amid this crisis, the BJP on Monday staged a strong agitation at the Manikchak BDO office, terming the Bhutni flood “man-made.” Party leaders alleged that the Trinamul Congress-led state government had “deliberately submerged” Bhutni’s residents and failed to provide adequate relief. Flood-affected villagers joined the protest, pressing for proper aid and rehabilitation.
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The demonstration took the form of a mass deputation and sit-in. Tension escalated when protesters tried to break through police barricades, leading to chaos, though the situation was eventually brought under control by a heavy police deployment.
BJP South Malda district president Ajay Ganguly, general secretary Gaur Chandra Mondal and others led the protest, accusing the state of neglect and demanding that flood relief be provided without political bias.
The twin crises of flooding in Bhutni and erosion in Mathurapur have left residents alarmed and demanding urgent government intervention.
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