Kolkata, Sept. 8 -- Ahead of TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee's district tour, which begins from Hooghly, the Mamata-led faction of the Trinamool Congress has alleged a police crackdown on its leaders and workers.
Mamata is scheduled to hold a political programme in Serampore on Friday, September 11, with the party planning a three-kilometre march against alleged atrocities by the BJP and police. The party alleged that several of its leaders and workers were being arrested ahead of Mamata's programme.
TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee claimed that workers from Serampore, Rishra, Baidyabati and Sheoraphuli had been arrested over the past two days. He alleged that police were being used by the BJP to prevent the march.
In a video message, Kalyan challenged Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari to arrest him and appealed to Serampore residents to join the march, saying he sought their "blessings" despite several workers being arrested.
Meanwhile, three former TMC councillors were arrested based on a complaint by Hafizul Mondal of Dankuni on Tuesday. They were accused of extortion in 2023 on the pretext of arranging houses under the Awas Yojana. Police registered cases under multiple sections, including extortion and attempt to murder.
Police also raided the residence of former Rishra municipality vice-chairman Zahid Hasan Khan, looking for him and his son Shahid. Family members said neither was home. Police allegedly threatened that they would visit the house every day and told Shahid to surrender. Police said a case against him was pending in court and they had gone with a warrant. A local BJP leader said police were only performing their duties and denied any connection between the arrests and Mamata's programme. TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh, however, alleged that a "police-backed jungle raj" was being allowed to continue.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.