Over 100 supporters of the Lok Janshakti Party were arrested on Friday morning when they tried to stop chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee’s convoy near his Palm Avenue residence.

The activists were protesting the recent attack by Maoists on a convoy that included Ram Vilas Paswan’s car in West Midnapore.

They gathered on Jhowtala Road around 8am and moved towards the intersection of Broad Street and Palm Avenue to stop Bhattacharjee’s convoy, which was scheduled to pass at 9am. The demonstrators were led by Mira Chakraborty, the state president of Lok Janshakti Party.

“They put up a road blockade for a few minutes. We requested them for 10 minutes to withdraw the agitation. When they did not listen, we arrested 103 people, including 28 women, around 8.30am,” said an officer of Karaya police station.

The police also impounded two cars belonging to the supporters.

The chief minister’s convoy passed the intersection unobstructed around 9am.

The blockade caused traffic congestion on Palm Avenue, Jhowtala Road and adjacent areas.