Police stopped Alipurduar BJP MP John Barla from entering a closed tea estate and distributing food grains among residents on Sunday because he didn’t have prior permission.

The annoyed MP got into an altercation with police officers. Later, he was sent back home and the cops and the Madarihat block development officer assured him of distributing the food grains in the Bundapani tea garden.

The Bundapani estate is close to the India-Bhutan border and in the Madarihat block.

Barla had started from his home in the Lakkhipara tea garden — located near Banarhat in Jalpaiguri — and was stopped by the police on NH31C.

“The jobless workers and their families are not getting food grains from the state government. People are finding it tough to arrange a square meal. That is why I was carrying food drains for them but the police stopped me,” said the MP.

Barla argued with the police and asserted that as an MP, he could go anywhere in his constituency despite the lockdown being in force. The police said he didn’t have permission for travel and moreover, if he moved to the garden, there would be a gathering of people.

“He was also told that the officer-in-charge of Birpara police station and the Madarihat BDO will take the items he had brought. They will then visit the garden and distribute the materials. He did not have permission of the district magistrate either,” Alipurduar district police chief Amitabha Maity said.

The altercation continued for around 15 minutes after which Barla was forced to return. “I am well aware of the lockdown and the precautions which should be taken now. The administration is acting in a biased manner and is not letting even an MP work for people at this hour of crisis,” he said.

Patients released

Four more Covid-19 patients were released from Dr Chhang’s Super Specialty Hospital on the outskirts of Siliguri on Sunday following recovery.

Three are family members of the woman from Kalimpong who had died from the disease. The fourth one was a domestic help of the family.

All of them had been tested positive for the coronavirus and were under treatment at the private nursing home that was earmarked as the hospital for Covid-19 patients.

With them, seven of the 10 persons, who had come in contact with the deceased woman and were under treatment, have been released.