Bishnupur Mela: Sanitation workers protest false theft allegation, demand arrest of Sanitary Inspector

A large-scale protest erupted at the Bishnupur Municipality on Thursday as sanitation workers demanded the immediate arrest of Sanitary Inspector Tuhinshubhra Kundu. The protest stemmed from allegations that Kundu falsely accused a female sanitation worker, Suparna Madraji, of stealing blankets from the Bishnupur Mela grounds. Workers called for Kundu's arrest, claiming he had humiliated Madraji without conducting a thorough investigation.

The issue began on Wednesday when several blankets were reported missing from the Bishnupur Mela, a major national event held at Bishnupur High School grounds. Kundu allegedly called Madraji and accused her of taking the blankets, demanding that she return them. Madraji denied the accusation, and the matter was reported to the Bishnupur police. Police reviewed CCTV footage from the Mela grounds, which showed Madraji was not involved in the theft.

The investigation revealed that the blankets were stolen by another individual, not Madraji. Despite this, Madraji had already been questioned by the police and falsely implicated in the theft. The sanitation workers expressed outrage, as they believed Madraji was unfairly targeted without proper evidence. They claimed that the false accusation caused harm to her reputation and dignity.

In response, sanitation workers from Bishnupur Municipality staged a protest at the municipality office, demanding Kundu’s arrest for the false accusation and mistreatment of their colleague. The workers also warned that they would stop performing cleaning duties at the Mela grounds if their demands were not met. As of now, the Bishnupur Municipality has not issued a formal statement regarding the incident. Kundu has yet to provide any public comment.