Former Sandeshkhali CPI(M) MLA Nirapada Sardar arrested, LF protests

Kolkata, Feb 11 (PTI) Former Sandeshkhali CPI(M) MLA Nirapada Sardar was arrested on Sunday in connection with the protests that have been ongoing in the area over the past few days, a senior police officer said.

Sardar was taken into custody from his residence near Tollygunge here and transferred to Bansdroni police station before being shifted to Basirhat PS in North 24 Parganas district of West Bengal later in the evening, police said.

Sardar was arrested in connection with a case lodged at Sandeshkhali police station, Basirhat police district SP Hossain Mehedi Rahaman said.

The Left Front has criticised the arrest of Sardar and threatened to launch an agitation across West Bengal, demanding the arrest of some local Trinamool Congress leaders accused of perpetrating atrocities on villagers in Sandeshkhali.

Sandeshkhali, situated in North 24 Parganas, came into the spotlight after a mob attacked Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials on January 5 during a raid related to an alleged ration distribution scam involving a local TMC leader named Shajahan Sheikh.

"We strongly protest the arrest of agricultural workers' leader Sardar and demand that those accused of perpetrating atrocities on villagers be taken in custody," Left Front chairman Biman Bose said in a statement.

He highlighted the ongoing protests by a large section of women against alleged atrocities by local Trinamool Congress leaders.

CPI(M) West Bengal state secretary Mohammed Salim criticised the alleged misuse of the local administration and police in Sandeshkhali by the ruling TMC.

He claimed that innocent people were being targeted instead of the real culprits accused of perpetrating atrocities on villagers.

Speaking to reporters at the party headquarters here, Salim alleged that Sardar, who was the CPI(M)'s Sandeshkhali MLA from 2011 to 2016, was implicated on the basis of a trumped up complaint by a local leader of the ruling party.

Salim demanded the unconditional release of Sardar and others arrested in connection with the protests, expressing concerns about the suppression of democratic rights of people in the region.

"We want unconditional release of Sardar and others arrested in connection with the protests," Salim said.

Salim said the party's women leaders were stopped from going to Sandeshkhali on Sunday to prevent them from meeting the affected persons there, claiming that democratic rights of people were being throttled. PTI