Bengal’s Sandeshkhali on the boil for over 72 hours; Political blame game ensues after villagers attack the houses of TMC leaders

Sandeshkhali is a village in West Bengal’s North 24 Parganas District and has been on the boil since Wednesday after villagers took out massive protests demanding the arrest of absconding TMC leader Sheikh Shahjahan and two others reportedly close to him. Sheikh Shahjahan happens to be the same person whose supporters attacked Enforcement Directorate officials on January 5 when they had gone to raid his Sandeshkhali residence. The two others - Shiba Prasad Hazra and Uttam Sardar had allegedly duped villagers of their dues and are currently on the run. The angry mob, led by women took to the streets on Thursday with bamboo sticks and farming tools and blockaded the road to register their protest. Tensions escalated as the villagers vandalised properties linked to Hazra and Sardar, and set them ablaze.

Locals claim that the violence unfolded after two processions, one led by the Trinamool Congress and the other by BJP clashed with each other on Wednesday. The tension simmered on till Friday as the locals tried to “gherao” the Sandeshkhali police station and the police had to intervene to bring the situation under control. The locals ransacked properties and resorted to a sit-in demonstration; once again, the protests were led by women who alleged that both Hazra and Sardar had illegally encroached upon their agricultural land. Villagers allege that the TMC duo had brought in outsiders for their Wednesday rally to create chaos and intimidate people. “Uttam Sardar and Shiba Hazra should be arrested immediately; they have been torturing villagers for long. We want to live here peacefully. Our protest will continue till the police arrest them,” said a villager.

BJP has called the incident the beginning of the end of Mamata Banerjee’s rule. “People of Sandeshkhali and the entirety of Bengal are tired of the corruption and atrocities. People of Sandeshkhali have revolted against Mamata Banerjee, this is the beginning,” said BJP Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari. However, Trinamool Congress has claimed that the BJP and CPM are behind the violence. “There has been a concerted effort to destabilise peace in Sandeshkhali. Houses of TMC leaders have been targeted and set ablaze. This is an attempt to derail the fight of Mamata Banerjee for the rights of poor people. Mamata Banerjee is fighting against the Centre over Central funds due to the people including MNREGA payments,” said TMC leader Partha Bhowmick.

The police have registered three FIRS and two people have been arrested so far. Villages like Trimohini, Kaharpara, Dashpara and Patrapara under the Sandeshkhali police station have been on alert; forces have been deployed to avoid fresh flare-ups. Several police officers have been injured in the clashes on Wednesday. “We are keeping a close watch on the situation. It has been brought under control. A probe is underway into the incidents of violence that happened in the past two days. No one will be spared, action will be taken against the culprits”, said Manoj Verma, ADJ Law and Order West Bengal.​