West Bengal: After fresh arson, section 144 again in 9 Sandeshkhali areas
Times of India | 23 February 2024
SANDESHKHALI: In a fresh incident of arson at Sandeshkhali, locals mobbed a bheri controlled by absconding Trinamool functionary Sheikh Shahjahan's brother and torched a structure set up to oversee fishing operations there on Thursday afternoon, prompting police to once again clamp fresh prohibitory orders under section 144 of CrPC in nine places under five gram panchayats - Trimoni Bazar, Kaharpara, Patrapara, Khulna Hat and Jeliakhali - from Thursday night.
Villagers alleged the bheri, spread over six bighas, was one of several farmlands forcibly grabbed by Shahjahan's brother Siraj and converted into fishing farms.
"The prohibitory restriction will continue till 12pm on Feb 24," a senior district police officer said.
As news of the arson spread, hundreds of women gathered at the spot and staged an agitation demanding the arrest of the two brothers. The locals alleged the arson took place soon after Siraj and his men visited Jhupkhali under Bermajur gram panchayat II on Thursday morning and threatened women with dire consequences. "Siraj and his gang roamed around the bheri area and threatened women. Villagers chased them out. Later, a mob set the structure (ala ghar) adjacent to the bheri on fire," a villager said.
When DIG (Barasat Range) Bhaskar Mukherjee and Basirhat SP Hossain Mehedi Rehman reached the spot with a large police force, the villagers demanded protection. "Siraj and his men will come again at night. Who will give us protection then?" the women asked.
DIG Mukherjee shared with the villagers phone numbers of senior officers and assured that police force would reach them within five minutes of a call. SP Rehman said he was trying to organise a camp where women would be able to lodge their complaints.
Earlier in the day, a village ground spread over a couple of bighas that was allegedly locked up for years by 'Sheikh Shahjahan Fan's Club' was thrown open to the locals. Trinamool Sandeshkhali MLA Sukumar Mahata also toured the trouble-torn hamlets and assured cheated villagers that their money would be returned.
Meanwhile, six villagers named in a complaint lodged by arrested TMC functionary Shibu Hazra for ransacking and torching his poultry farms, were granted bail by a Basirhat court after they surrendered.
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