SURI: Sixteen persons, including a CPI(M) leader, have been arrested in connection with the attack on Illambazar police station in Birbhum district, police said today.
A mob had yesterday attacked the police station and damaged vehicles in Illambazar and Dubrajpur areas after a college student made an "objectionable" post on Facebook.
The arrested 16 persons include Syed Mohd Iqbal, former zonal secretary of CPI(M), police said.
All of them were produced in Bolpur court that remanded them to 14 days' judicial custody.
CPI(M) state secretariat member Ramchandra Dome described the arrest of Iqbal as "mysterious" and "politically motivated".
Some stray blockades were put up on roads in the district today to protest against the "objectionable" Facebook post by a college student, who was arrested on Monday night.
A mob attacked the police station demanding that the accused be handed over to them. Later they put up a road blockade on NH-60.