Three office-bearers of a faction of the Matua Mahasangha, all affiliated with the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC), were arrested on Saturday following allegations of embezzlement linked to the unauthorised felling and sale of trees near the Harichand Guruchand Thakur temple in Bagdah, North 24 Parganas district, West Bengal. The arrests follow a complaint lodged at the local police station, according to police sources.

Who Was Arrested

The three accused — Pradeep Biswas, Govinda Biswas, and Pabitra Biswas — serve as the general secretary and two assistant secretaries, respectively, of the Mamata Bala Thakur faction of the Matua Mahasangha. All three are also reportedly active members of the Trinamool Congress in the Bagdah area.

According to police sources, the trio allegedly sold two trees standing in the vicinity of the temple near Helencha Bazar in Bagdah without obtaining the requisite permission, and are accused of pocketing the proceeds — constituting embezzlement under the charges filed against them.

The Temple and Its Surroundings

The Harichand Guruchand Thakur temple is situated adjacent to a field near Helencha Bazar in Bagdah. The trees in question stood on land in proximity to this religious site, which holds deep significance for the Matua community. The absence of any sanctioned permission for their felling formed the crux of the complaint against the three men.

BJP Demands Exemplary Punishment

The local Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leadership has demanded strict action against the arrested individuals. The BJP Mandal President of Bagdah Block I said, 'They have cut and sold trees in the Hari Mandir area. They are not shying away from cutting trees. They should be given exemplary punishment so that future generations are deterred from committing such crimes. Trinamool leaders across the state are involved in corruption. We, the people of Bagdah, can see it. They should be severely punished.'

This comes amid a broader pattern of political rivalry between the BJP and TMC over influence within Matua community institutions, which have long been contested electoral ground in North 24 Parganas.

The Matua Mahasangha: A Divided Institution

The Matua Mahasangha represents the Scheduled Caste Namasudra community, many of whose members migrated to India during the Partition and again following the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War. The organisation traces its origins to Harichand Thakur, founder of the Matua religious sect, who hailed from Orakandi in present-day Faridpur district, Bangladesh.

After Partition, the Matuas established their headquarters at Thakurnagar in North 24 Parganas. Today, the Mahasangha is split between two factions: one led by BJP MP and Union Minister Shantanu Thakur, and another by former Trinamool MP Mamata Bala Thakur — whose faction the three arrested men belong to. The internal split has made the organisation a recurring flashpoint in Bengal's competitive caste-and-community politics.

With the three accused in custody, the case is expected to be heard in a local court in the coming days, and will likely intensify scrutiny of TMC's hold over Matua community bodies ahead of future electoral contests.