Protests erupted in two areas of Cooch Behar district against Trinamool Congress leaders and elected representatives of the party during the past 24
hours over allegations of cut-money collection in exchange for providing benefits under the government housing scheme.

In the Jorpatki panchayat of the Mathabhanga subdivision, a group of women staged a protest outside the house of Shahidul Miya, a Trinamool leader and civic volunteer, on Wednesday, demanding the return of the alleged cut money.

According to them, Miya had collected amounts ranging from ₹5,000 to ₹20,000 from the residents, promising them assistance under the housing scheme. He collected at least ₹8 lakh, alleged the villagers.

On May 25, the civic volunteer faced a similar protest, said local sources.

When the protest continued on Wednesday, Miya felt insecure and slipped under a bed in one of the rooms of his house to escape the agitated crowd. Eventually, a team from the Mathabhanga police station reached the spot and took him away.

On Thursday, protests broke out in the Bhotbari panchayat of the Mekhliganj subdivision over similar allegations linked to the housing scheme.

A group of angry villagers marched to the house of Lipika Roy, the chief of the Trinamool-run panchayat, and staged a demonstration demanding the return of the alleged cut money.

The protesters accused Roy’s husband of collecting substantial sums from beneficiaries over a prolonged period for securing houses under the scheme.

The villagers alleged that in several cases, names of beneficiaries were removed from the list if they failed to pay money. A resident claimed that although three members of his family received housing benefits, they were forced to pay a total of ₹45,000.

The protests continued for some time, after which the villagers left.