Bengal: Women scuffle with cops as violence erupts in Sandeshkhali again

In less than 24 hours after the election was over, trouble-torn Sandeshkhali in West Bengal’s North 24-Parganas district witnessed another round of skirmishes between women and the police on Sunday (June 2) when the latter went there and detained one person in connection with attacks on policemen.

Local women in Agarhati village in Sandeshkhali area got involved in a scuffle with the Rapid Action Force (RAF) personnel, felled tree trunks, and blocked roads when the police personnel reached there in search of a few persons accused of attacking them on Saturday night, a senior police officer said.

What police say

“We have not arrested anyone, but local women have started protesting. Some of our female colleagues were injured. We are trying to talk to them and remove the barricades from the roads,” the officer at Basirhat Police District told PTI.

There was an attempt by local women to snatch the detained person, but the move was foiled, he said.

“We are trying to bring the situation under control. A huge number of RAF, Quick Response Team (QRT) and policemen are present here,” the officer said.

Governor worried

Governor C V Ananda Bose on Sunday said he was worried after getting reports about the in Sandeshkhali, and asked Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to intervene immediately and restore peace there.

Speaking to PTI, Bose said he has written to Banerjee asking her to inform him about the action taken against those involved in the incidents of violence in Sandeshkhali.

“I am a bit worried about the situation in Sandeshkhali. From the inputs I have received, I have come to know about incidents of attacks on the women of Sandeshkhali within hours after the polling was over yesterday. I have written to the Chief Minister about the steps taken in this regard,” Bose said.

“If such attacks continue and the inhabitants are tortured, I will open the doors of the Raj Bhavan for them to come and stay here. They will be provided safe shelter here,” he added.

History of Sandeshkhali row

Sandeshkhali — a riverine delta bordering the Sundarbans — has been on the boil since January 5, when a team of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) was attacked when it had gone to raid the premises of TMC strongman Shajahan Sheikh in connection with an alleged ration scam.

Sheikh and his accomplices were arrested by the West Bengal Police on February 29 in connection with the attack on the ED officers.

After the attack by a mob of around 1,000 people in which three ED officials were injured, a deputy director of the agency had given a complaint to the superintendent of police, Basirhat. PTI

(With agency inputs)