Six BJP MLAs of Cooch Behar district organised a two-hour-long sit-in demonstration at the office of the superintendent of police (SP) here on Friday to protest against the arrest of a party candidate and workers.
MLAs Sukumar Roy, Mihir Goswami, Malati Rava Roy, Sushil Barman, Baren Chandra Barman and Nikhil Ranjan Dey reached the SP office around 11.30am and started the dharna.
“The police here are acting at the behest of the Trinamul Congress and arresting our candidates and supporters to prevent them from campaigning for the panchayat elections. A section of district Trinamul leaders is orchestrating attacks on us and yet, the police are not taking any action,” Natabari BJP MLA Mihir Goswami said.
The police had on Wednesday arrested Taranikanta Barman, a former Trinamul leader who is contesting as a BJP candidate from a zilla parishad seat in Dinhata, in connection with an old case.
Barman is a former member of the zilla parishad and panchayat samiti. As Trinamul didn’t give him a ticket this time, he left the party and joined the BJP.
Police sources said he was arrested from Salmara in Dinhata 2 block in connection with a case of political violence filed in 2018. On Thursday, he was produced in court. The court sent him to judicial custody till July 12.
The BJP MLAs said such old cases were pending against many Trinamul leaders but the police were not acting against them.
“If such arrests continue, we will intensify our movement in the district,” said Sukumar Roy, an MLA and the party’s district president.
The district police, on the other hand, issued a statement to clarify Barman’s arrest. They have mentioned that warrant execution is a major work that the police carry out on a daily basis. “Taranikanta Barman was absconding and a case was registered against him. He had filed an anticipatory bail petition in Calcutta High Court and was instructed by the court on June 9 to surrender in the local trial court within two weeks. Police were directed not to arrest him during this period,” said a police officer.
He, however, didn’t surrender at the court during the stipulated period. As the warrant was pending against him, he was arrested, the officer added.
In another move, the police arrested Tapas Das, a Trinamul candidate of Barosakdol panchayat in Dinhata 2 block on Friday in connection with an old case.
The BJP however, has termed it as “eyewash.” “The person has already won uncontested at the elections. His arrest will not affect the results,” said a BJP leader.
Trinamul has scoffed at the saffron camp.
“They will end with a miserable performance in the rural polls. They are raising baseless charges at us and at the police so that they can come up with excuses after the results are announced,” said Parthapratim Roy, the spokesperson of Trinamul in Cooch Behar.
Trinamul leader shot at, beaten up
Calcutta: A Youth Trinamul leader was allegedly beaten up with sticks and rods after a shot fired at him missed the target in Ariadaha near Dakshineswar on Thursday afternoon, police said.
Aritra Ghosh has been admitted to a private hospital.
According to witnesses, Ghosh was riding a two-wheeler to his workplace when a group of men fired at him. After the bullet missed Ghosh, the group beat him up. Residents of the area rescued him.
“A gang comprising Jayant Singh and Raju Ghosh opened fire. The bullet missed my left leg and I fell from my motorcycle. The group then beat me up,” Ghosh told reporters on his way to the hospital.
“Raju is a businessman. We are trying to find out more about Jayant,” said a senior police officer.
Two injured
A 29-year-old motorcyclist riding with his 61-year-old mother suffered injuries after their two-wheeler was hit by a vehicle near Captain Fishery on EM Bypass in Calcutta on Thursday morning.
Subhra Ghosh and Sagnik were admitted to a hospital, police said.
The police said they were trying to identify the vehicle.
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