KOLKATA: Six policemen were injured and several police vehicles were damaged after a mob attacked them during a raid at the house of local Trinamool Congress leader Musa Mollah in the Sandeshkhali area of North 24 Parganas, West Bengal, on Friday night.
Police had asked Mollah to accompany them to a nearby outpost under Nazat police station when the violence broke out.
So far, nine persons have been arrested in connection with the attack, while two others, including a panchayat pradhan and his deputy from the Trinamool Congress-ruled Boyermari rural body, were detained for interrogation.
Friday night’s incident evoked memories of violence that erupted in Sandeshkhali close to the Indo-Bangladesh border two years ago. The area had witnessed large-scale unrest on January 5, 2024, when an Enforcement Directorate team probing a public distribution system scam was attacked while raiding the residence of Trinamool Congress strongman Shahjahan Sheikh.
During that incident, supporters of Shahjahan Sheikh allegedly assaulted ED officials, injuring three of them, and helped the leader flee. The state police were accused of failing to take preventive measures to protect the central agency team.
According to police sources, the latest trouble began when a Nazat police station team went to Boyermari village to arrest Musa Mollah. As police placed him inside a vehicle, villagers allegedly pelted stones, damaging the vehicle and injuring the personnel.
The injured policemen, including an officer, were taken to a local hospital for treatment and were later discharged.
Mollah, who was arrested on charges of forcibly taking over waterbodies for pisciculture, could be taken to the police station only after reinforcements arrived and dispersed the mob.
Apart from Mollah, two local Trinamool Congress leaders, including the gram panchayat pradhan, were detained for allegedly instigating the mob attack, police said.
Reacting to the incident, BJP leader Sajal Ghosh said the attack reflected the “desperation and brazenness” of ruling party activists under Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. He questioned whether the state police would take firm action.
Trinamool Congress spokesperson Arup Chakraborty condemned the violence, saying the party does not support such acts and that it would back any action taken by the police.