Six policemen were injured after a mob attacked them while they were arresting a Trinamool Congress (TMC) activist in the Sandeshkhali area of North 24 Parganas district, a police officer said on Saturday.
The incident occurred on Friday night when a team from Nazat police station went to Boyermari village under the Sandeshkhali block to arrest TMC activist Musa Mollah. As the police picked up Mollah from his residence and placed him inside the police vehicle, a group of villagers allegedly pelted stones at the team and damaged the vehicle, the officer said.
The injured policemen, including an officer, were taken to a local hospital for treatment and were later discharged.
Mollah, who was arrested on charges of forcibly taking over waterbodies in the area for pisciculture, could be taken to the police station only after reinforcements were rushed to the spot and the mob was chased away, the officer said.
Apart from Mollah, two local TMC leaders, including the gram panchayat pradhan, were detained for allegedly instigating the mob attack, the officer said.
The incident comes against the backdrop of an earlier attack in the area. On January 5, 2024, an Enforcement Directorate (ED) team was attacked after reaching Sandeshkhali to raid the residence of local TMC strongman and Zilla Parishad member Sheikh Shahjahan in connection with an alleged ration distribution scam. Shahjahan was later arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and is currently in judicial custody.
Reacting to the latest incident, BJP leader Sajal Ghosh said the attack on the state police reflected the "desperation and brazenness" of TMC activists under Mamata Banerjee's rule. "From the attack on ED officials two years back to the attack on state police now, the pattern remains the same. Will the state police muster the courage to stand up against the ruling party and take appropriate action?" Ghosh asked.
TMC spokesperson Arup Chakraborty condemned the violence and said, "The attack on the police was deplorable, and the party does not support such activities. Whatever action the police take will have our support."
