Chandan Neogy: the crusader

Chandan Neogy is a man on a mission, despite suffering from severe ischaemia and a bad hip.

The 65-year-old resident of Purbasha Housing Estate braved lathi blows and barking dogs on Saturday to protest the filling up of a disputed tract adjacent to the complex. He has the backing of at least 300 local residents, who have decided to “save the pond from the clutches of real estate developers at any cost”.

On Sunday, a public meeting was held, where the residents decided to get more people involved in their movement and consider legal steps.

Saturday’s action unfolded after transport minister turned up at the housing estate, where over 3,000 people live in 650 flats.

“I was rounding up some residents to meet the minister, but he left before meeting us. He asked the president of the residents’ association to refrain from stalling work,” said Neogy, who is the convener of the water body protection sub-committee, formed by the residents on December 16.

The protesters had then gathered near the “pond”, which provoked the 40-odd labourers engaged in clearing water hyacinth to attack them with bamboo staffs.

“I saw them beating up Chiranjib Deb, who is a cancer patient, and tried to shield him with my own body, thinking that they would refrain from hitting a senior citizen, but I was wrong,” recalled Neogy. He was hit on the back of his head and had to be taken to hospital.

The attackers then unleashed guard dogs on the protestors and fired bullets in the air. Septuagenarian Chinmoy Mukherjee, a resident of Purbasha for 31 years, said: “We never imagined that shots would be fired in our estate. The mayhem continued till the police arrived and arrested the culprits.”

“It will take more than guns and dogs to make the protesters back off,” asserted Neogy.

“We will organise door-to-door campaigns and awareness programmes and distribute pamphlets. Some very powerful people are against us, but we believe the truth will prevail,” he added.