KOLKATA: A day after CPI (ML) Red Star leader Alik Chakraborty was arrested near a private hospital in Bhubaneswar, protests erupted in Bhangar in 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) blockaded the Haroa Road at several points near the power grid and vowed to continue the blockade till Chakraborty was released.
"Since 3 pm today, 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 till this report was filed.
Alik Chakraborty was produced at a Bhubaneswar court on Thursday for transit remand and is likely to be brought back to Kolkata on Friday, when agitation in Bhangar is expected to intensify.
The region has been on the boil over 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 vehemently stating that the grid would reduce their agricultural produce and have serious health impacts. Despite work being completed, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has promised not to functionalise the power grid till the people are against it.