Siliguri, May 25 -- Political tensions escalated across several districts of North Bengal following a string of arrests involving Trinamool Congress leaders and workers in cases linked to post-poll violence.
In Alipurduar district, a BJP woman worker was allegedly assaulted by a senior Trinamool Congress leader and his daughter at Kamakhyaguri on Sunday night. The victim, identified as Laxmi Biswas, had reportedly gone to a customer service point to link her bank account with Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) services when the incident took place.
According to the complaint, Dulal Dey, vice-president of the Alipurduar district Trinamool Congress committee, along with his daughter, allegedly attacked the BJP worker following an altercation. Biswas sustained serious injuries in her left eye and head. She was first taken to Kamakhyaguri Rural Hospital and later shifted to Alipurduar District Hospital after her condition worsened.
Following a written complaint lodged by the victim's son at the Kamakhyaguri police outpost, police arrested Dulal Dey later that night. Superintendent of Police Amit Kumar Shaw said a case had been registered under non-bailable sections and the accused was produced before the Alipurduar court on Tuesday.
In another development, police arrested Samijuddin Ahmed, head of Binnaguri Gram Panchayat under the Rajganj Assembly constituency, in connection with a 2021 post-poll violence case. Ahmed was arrested from his residence in Bhandarigachh late on Sunday night by police from Bhorer Alo Police Station under the Siliguri Police Commissionerate. He is also accused of involvement in an alleged attack on Jalpaiguri BJP MP Jayanta Roy.
Meanwhile, in Cooch Behar, two persons, including Panchayat Samiti Karmadhakshya Subrata Acharjee, were arrested in connection with the attack on the convoy of then Opposition leader and current Chief Minister Subhendu Adhikari. Another accused, Tanmoy Das, was also arrested from the Khagrabari area. The court remanded both accused to five days' police custody.
The incident dates back to August 5, when Adhikari's convoy was allegedly attacked during his visit to meet the district Superintendent of Police regarding attacks on BJP workers. Several arrests had already been made earlier in the case.
Police in South Dinajpur arrested TMC leader and Panchayat Samiti member Anarul Mia for his alleged involvement in a human trafficking racket. Investigators alleged that he helped traffic a housewife and her minor daughter from Cooch Behar to Bangladesh through the Hili border. The Balurghat District Court remanded him to four days' police custody.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.