BHUBANESHWAR: A day after CPI (ML) Red Star leader Alik Chakraborty was arrested near a private hospital in Bhubaneswar, protests erupted in Bhangar of South 24 Parganas where he had been leading an anti-power grid agitation for the past few years.
Protesters of the Jomi Jibika Poribesh o Bastutantra Raksha Samiti (Committee for protection of land, livelihood, environment and ecology) blocked Haroa Road at several points near the power grid and vowed to continue the blockade till Chakraborty is released.
“We have started blockade at several places along the Haroa Road near the power grid. We will continue the blockades till Chakraborty is released,” a committee leader said.
Despite the blockade, no fresh violence between the agitators and the pro-power grid Trinamool Congress supporters of local strongman Arabul Islam was reported.
After Chakraborty was arrested by a joint team of Odisha and West Bengal police on Thursday, he was produced in a local court on Friday. Later, Bengal Police took him on transit remand. "According to the preliminary investigation, Chakraborty arrived in the City on Wednesday for a medical check-up," Bhubaneswar DCP Anup Kumar Sahoo said.
Meanwhile, CPI (ML) Red Star Odisha committee members condemned the arrest of their leader and alleged that West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was suppressing the people and leaders of Bhangar anti-power grid movement.
Bhangar has been on the boil for the past three years with the State Government constructing a power grid over 16 acres of land which the residents of around 30 villages are protesting on the ground that the grid would reduce their agricultural produce and pose serious health impacts. Despite work being completed, the Chief Minister has promised not to functionalise the power grid till the people are against it.