Sandeshkhali flashback as cops assaulted during operation
Six police personnel were injured on Friday evening after a mob attacked a police team during the detention of a Trinamool Congress (TMC) activist in West Bengal’s North 24 Parganas district, officials said.
The incident occurred in Boyemari village in the Sandeshkhali area, where police had gone to locate Musa Mollah, a local TMC activist accused of illegally pumping water into a land parcel to convert it into a fish farm in violation of court orders.
According to police officials, as the team attempted to detain Mollah, a mob turned violent and attacked the officers, leaving six personnel injured. Nine people have been arrested so far in connection with the assault.
Panchayat leaders questioned
Police said they are also questioning the panchayat leader and deputy leader of the Boyermari-II gram panchayat, which is run by the TMC, to ascertain their role, if any, in the violence.
Security has been stepped up in the area to prevent further unrest, officials added.
Incident revives Sandeshkhali flashbacks
Friday’s violence has revived memories of Sandeshkhali’s unrest in 2024, when an Enforcement Directorate (ED) team was attacked on January 5 while attempting to raid the residence of local TMC strongman and Zilla Parishad member Sheikh Shahjahan in connection with an alleged ration distribution scam.
In February 2024, protests erupted in the region, with villagers — mostly women — accusing Shahjahan and his associates of land grabbing and sexual assault. The Calcutta High Court later ordered a CBI probe, following which Shahjahan and his aides Shibaprasad Hazra and Uttam Sardar were arrested. Shahjahan remains in judicial custody.
BJP attacks TMC, says “nothing has changed”
Reacting to the latest incident, BJP leader Sajal Ghosh alleged that Sandeshkhali continues to be controlled by the same network despite Shahjahan being in jail.
“Shahjahan might be behind bars, but he still controls everything. Those who attacked the police are TMC workers. Their task is extortion. The police are also a slave of the TMC,” Ghosh claimed.
TMC condemns attack, rejects BJP charges
The TMC, however, condemned the attack on police and rejected the BJP’s allegations.
“This is condemnable. Police have taken action. It was a mob outrage and is now being politicised,” said TMC leader Arup Chakraborty.
“The opposition has no real issue and is trying to create one by making such statements,” he added.
Police said investigations are ongoing and further arrests are likely as they identify those involved in the violence.
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