Expelled INTTUC and Trinamul leader of New Jalpaiguri, accused of leading an attack at the inland container depot (ICD) or dry port in the area earlier this month, was arrested by a team of Siliguri Metropolitan Police from Assam on Sunday and brought here on Tuesday.

Prasenjit Roy, the former president of Trinamul’s trade union front INTTUC in NJP, was absconding since February 4, when he led hundreds of supporters inside the ICD and ransacked the office of a private firm running the facility to demand local workers be hired. It angered chief minister Mamata Banerjee who was at the branch secretariat Uttarkanya, some 1.5km away.

“Roy was arrested in Tinsukia, Assam, and produced at a court that granted his transit remand. On Wednesday, he will be produced at a court in Jalpaiguri,” said a police officer.

Mamata asked party leaders and the police to take a stern view on the matter. In a matter of days, the absconding Roy — who ran 30-odd Inttuc-affiliated trade unions in and around NJP — was expelled from INTTUC and Trinamul, and some of his aides were arrested.

A five-member police team was formed to find Roy. “Finally, from a specific tip-off and cell phone location, the police arrested him from Tinsukia,” said a source.

The vandalism also led to loss of face for Trinamul and state tourism minister Gautam Deb as the ICD is located in his Dabgram-Fulbari seat.

Minister Deb reacted briefly to Roy's arrest. “We never tolerate indiscipline. The law will take its own course,” he said.