The CPM in Balurghat put up posters across ward number 12 of the town on Sunday, stating that Biplab Khan, a Trinamool Congress councillor, is “missing.”

The posters claim that he has not been seen in the area since the announcement of the Assembly election results.

“Ever since Trinamool lost the elections, people have not seen him. The residents are facing problems because they cannot approach him for various errands. The civic services are in shambles across the ward. It seems that the ongoing probes against corruption in different parts of the state are the reasons for his disappearance,” said Dhiraj Basu, the CPM’s branch secretary in the ward.

In the posters, the Left highlighted several civic issues in the ward, including uncollected garbage, inadequate drinking water supply and malfunctioning street lights.

The posters also refer to Khan’s recent resignation from the chairmanship of a cooperative bank and ongoing investigations into alleged corruption charges against him.

The councillor, however, denied the charges and termed the posters as an act of “political indecency” by the CPM.

“I have not gone anywhere. I am very much in Balurghat, moving around regularly, and attending party meetings. I am not someone who runs away,” said Khan.

Surajit Saha, the chairman of Balurghat municipality, said that garbage disposal was regularly carried out in Khan’s ward.

“We constantly monitor the cleaning work across the town, including ward 12. The other issues raised by the residents will also be addressed in due course,” he said.

Pradhan arrested

Jalpaiguri police arrested Bablu Roy, the president of Mainaguri block-I committee of the Trinamool Congress and the pradhan (head) of the Khagrabari-II panchayat of the block, on Sunday evening on multiple charges, including extortion, intimidation and land grabbing.

A resident of Tekatuli in Mainaguri, Bablu was known as a strongman.

Having served as the pradhan for a long time, he allegedly expanded his influence across the area. Over the years, he was associated with allegations of extortion, threats and illegal land occupation.

After the announcement of the Assembly election results, he kept a low profile and stopped visiting the panchayat office.

Multiple complaints were lodged against him with the police after the results. Acting on those complaints, police arrested him on Sunday.

Bablu denied the charges and claimed that the arrest was politically motivated. The police have initiated a probe and are gathering information, said a source.