A small island in the Sundarban delta in West Bengal’s North 24-Parganas district, Sandeshkhali has been at the centre of BJP-TMC politics ever since January 5 when Enforcement Directorate officers were assaulted while conducting a search at the home of local strongman and TMC leader Shahjahan Sheikh. The ED team had gone there in connection with an investigation into alleged irregularities in the state’s public distribution system.
Earlier this month, local residents went on a rampage seeking the arrest of Sheikh and his associates Uttam Sardar and Shibaprasad Hazra – the residents accused the TMC leaders of sexually harassing women and land grab. While Sardar and Hazra have been arrested, Sheikh remains at large.
On Thursday, a large group of Sandeshkhali residents, including women, ransacked the guard room of a fishery in the Jhupkhali area and set it ablaze around 10 am, police said.
The residents also staged a protest at the spot. They alleged that Sheikh and his supporters had forcibly grabbed their agricultural fields and set up fisheries on the land.
One of the protesters, Jagadish Bhuiyan (28), said, “Sheikh’s brother Sirajuddin grabbed my three bighas of land. Then, he leased the land to another man. After that, they set up fisheries on the farm land. They did not allow us to pass through the land and tortured us when we objected.”
The residents also claimed that most of the fields grabbed by the TMC leaders belonged to tribal communities.
Kalpana Sardar (42) said, “They (TMC leaders) grabbed my 7.5 bighas at gunpoint and then started fisheries on the land. They also usurped more than 500 acres in Jhupkhali and most of the fields belonged to tribals.”
Sahadev Bhuyian (24), said, “We were silent for two-three years because they always threatened us and our families but (the protests in) Sandeshkhali opened our eyes and we could muster the courage to protest.”
He said police reached the spot and assured action against the TMC leaders. “Police have assured us that they will set up a camp on Friday and take up our complaints. We were told to file complaints of land-grabbing along with documents, and that the land would be returned to us,” he said.
West Bengal Director General of Police Rajeev Kumar, who was visiting Sandeshkhali, said action will be taken against those “who have taken law into their own hands”.
“We have registered complaints including those of land-grabbing and other cases. I am taking with me all such complaints. We are ensuring that people here can live peacefully and comfortably. Through you (media), I want to send the message to the people to cooperate with us,” Kumar said while leaving Sandeshkhali after spending a night there.
The DGP, sources said, submitted a report to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee about the situation in Sandeshkhali after reaching Nabanna Thursday morning.
Meanwhile, BJP state president Sukanta Majumder protested outside the Sandeshkhali police station Thursday to demand the arrest of absconding Shahjahan Sheikh.
Majumdar and other BJP leaders sat on a dharna in the evening. After around an hour, police picked up the BJP leaders and took them to Dhamakhali on a boat and later let them go.
“All of us, including women, were dragged out and put on a boat. I was arrested and then released on a personal bond,” Majumdar told media persons after being released in Dhamakhali.
A team of the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST) also visited Sandeshkhali in the wake of allegations of sexual harassment of women and land grab.
NCST vice-chairman Ananta Nayak said, “We came here after receiving some specific complaints. We saw the ground reality and met the complainants. As per rule, we also sought a report from the DGP and the Chief Secretary. We have given them three days.”