Kolkata Police on Tuesday, 20 May arrested Faridul Islam, identified as the alleged mastermind behind the Park Circus violence that erupted in central Kolkata on Sunday afternoon. The arrest brings the total number of persons detained in connection with the incident to 46, as investigators continue to comb through CCTV footage to identify and apprehend remaining suspects.

What Triggered the Violence

The unrest began after protesters gathered at the Park Circus seven-point crossing — one of the busiest intersections in central Kolkata — to demonstrate against the use of bulldozers to demolish allegedly illegal constructions in the minority-dominated neighbourhood. When Kolkata Police and Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) personnel moved to clear the illegal blockade, demonstrators reportedly turned violent, pelting stones and bricks at security forces.

Police vehicles were vandalised and several police and CAPF personnel sustained injuries, described by officials as severe, in the sudden attack. Security forces subsequently resorted to a lathicharge to restore order, with the area described by officials as having turned into a 'virtual battlefield' during the peak of the violence.

Role of the Arrested Accused

According to a city police source, Faridul Islam allegedly played a lead role in organising the violent demonstration — first through what officials described as 'provocative' social media posts, and then by delivering 'instigating speeches' at the protest site on Sunday afternoon. Investigators are cross-referencing CCTV footage from the day of the incident to systematically identify and arrest other accused persons involved in the violence.

Chief Minister's Zero-Tolerance Warning

West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari visited the office of the Deputy Commissioner of the South East Division of Kolkata Police — the jurisdiction covering Park Circus — on Monday to take stock of the situation. Standing at the Park Circus crossing, he delivered a public warning against what he called hooliganism, with senior Kolkata Police officials, including city police chief Ajay Nand, present alongside him.

'This was the first and last attack on police personnel during my government's tenure. If any policeman is attacked in future, strict legal action would follow. Sunday's agitation was a pre-planned action. Any political organisation or religious organisation can inform the police and organise their programme. But gathering people, raising religious slogans and pelting stones cannot be accepted. Stone pelting at police has stopped in Kashmir and Srinagar, and I think it will stop in West Bengal and Kolkata as well,' Chief Minister Adhikari said on Monday afternoon.

He subsequently visited and spoke with injured police and CAPF personnel.

Investigation and What Comes Next

With arrests now at 46, police have indicated the crackdown is ongoing. The use of CCTV evidence as the primary investigative tool signals a methodical approach to identifying every participant in the violence. The incident has drawn sharp political attention in West Bengal, coming amid a broader national debate over demolition drives targeting allegedly unauthorised structures in densely populated urban areas. How the state government balances enforcement with community concerns in the days ahead will be closely watched.