Who Are the Five Recent Arrests in the Violent Beldanga Protest?
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Five additional arrests in Beldanga protests raise total to 36.
- Tensions escalated due to the death of a migrant worker.
- Police utilized CCTV and social media footage for identifications.
- A PIL has been filed for central force deployment.
- Protests led to blockades on highways and railway lines.
Kolkata, Jan 20 (NationPress) Police have apprehended five additional individuals linked to the violent demonstrations that erupted last week in Beldanga, located in Murshidabad district. According to law enforcement sources, these arrests were made after analyzing social media footage and reviewing CCTV recordings.
This latest development brings the total number of arrests to 36.
The individuals taken into custody have been named as Noor Alam, Rabiul Islam, Noor Alam Molla, Ladim Sheikh, and Tufail Sheikh.
Murshidabad Superintendent of Police, Sunny Raj, stated, "They were identified and arrested through thorough examination of CCTV and social media content. The arrested individuals are scheduled to appear before the Berhampore court this Tuesday afternoon."
Additionally, a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) was submitted at the Calcutta High Court on Monday, calling for the deployment of central forces in the violence-affected Beldanga. Chief Justice Sujoy Paul has granted permission to file this case.
It is also noteworthy that the Leader of the Opposition in the state Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, has reached out to Governor Ananda Bose, urging the deployment of central paramilitary forces in Beldanga.
The atmosphere in Murshidabad district has been tense since last Friday, following violent protests triggered by the death of a migrant worker from the district in neighboring Jharkhand.
On Saturday morning, unrest returned to Beldanga, just a day after a similar protest occurred in the area.
Hundreds of protesters blocked the Barua More intersection in Beldanga, voicing their outrage over the alleged murder of a migrant worker in Jharkhand. National Highway 12 was obstructed as demonstrators demanded justice for the deceased. Several media personnel faced attacks while covering the protests. The railway lines near Maheshpur on the Sealdah-Lalgola section were also obstructed.
Protesters positioned bamboo poles on the tracks, displaying photographs of the deceased hanging from them. An altercation broke out when police arrived on the scene, leading to clashes with local residents.
Media teams covering the incident were met with hostility, raising questions about why Trinamool Congress' Baharampur MP, Yusuf Pathan, did not visit the area sooner.
Yusuf assessed the situation three days after the incident. Prior to Tuesday's arrests, 31 individuals had already been detained in connection with these events, including a leader from the AIMIM party, a minority political group from Hyderabad. To regain control, police resorted to lathi-charge and lifted the blockades.