West Bengal's Special Task Force (STF) recovered a large cache of firearms and cartridges from a pond belonging to Trinamool Congress leader Robin Das in Sandeshkhali, North 24 Parganas district on Saturday, 6 June, officials said. The seizure follows a tip-off from a confidential source and marks a significant escalation in the ongoing security operation in the troubled coastal region.

How the Recovery Unfolded

Acting on intelligence inputs, STF investigators raided Sandeshkhali early Saturday morning and conducted a thorough search of the premises. Officers discovered the concealed weapons inside the pond on the property of Robin Das, identified as a Trinamool Congress leader and the party's former regional president. Central police force personnel accompanied the STF team during the operation.

Both Robin Das and his brother Gopal Das had reportedly fled the area before investigators arrived. Police have since launched a manhunt for the two brothers. Their house and the surrounding area were also searched, with investigators reportedly recovering a substantial quantity of weapons from the site. As news of the seizure spread, large crowds gathered in the vicinity.

Links to Arrested Trinamool Strongman

According to officials, the Das brothers are said to be closely associated with Sheikh Shahjahan, a Trinamool Congress strongman who is currently under arrest. Investigators believe the weapons were stockpiled to foment unrest in the area. The two brothers have long faced accusations of committing atrocities against local residents, including workers affiliated with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Extensive searches across Sandeshkhali are continuing as authorities seek to determine the full extent of the cache.

BJP Sharpens Political Attack

The arms recovery has intensified the political confrontation between the BJP and the Trinamool Congress over law and order in West Bengal. BJP MLA Sajal Ghosh said, 'Earlier, fish used to come out of the pond. If not for the Trinamool, I wouldn't have known that bullets, bombs and guns could also emerge. They are truly the ninth wonder of the world.'

Ghosh added, 'Every day, it is proven that they took the state of West Bengal to the brink of destruction. If the election results had been different and TMC had won, then the firearms would no longer be in the pond. Common people would have been attacked with these weapons. I will appeal to the government so that these Trinamool leaders, once arrested, don't get out of jail even for a day.'

Sandeshkhali's Troubled Background

This comes amid sustained scrutiny of Sandeshkhali, which has been at the centre of allegations of land grab, sexual assault, and political violence since early 2024, when protests by local women first drew national attention. The arrest of Sheikh Shahjahan had already put the Trinamool Congress on the defensive. The latest arms seizure deepens those concerns and is likely to fuel further demands for a central investigation into the region's political ecosystem.