Ex-TMC MLA, municipality chairman arrested during protest against attack on Abhishek

The Chinsurah Police have initiated a significant crackdown following a volatile protest held at Pipulpati on Saturday. Among those arrested are prominent Trinamool Congress (TMC) figures, including former MLA Asit Majumdar, Chinsurah Municipality Chairman Soumitra Ghosh, and Vice-Chairman Partha Saha. The arrests stem from a road blockade organized by TMC supporters to protest the recent harassment of party National General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee. What began as a demonstration quickly escalated into a confrontation with law enforcement, leading to serious charges against the local leadership.

According to sources from the Chandannagar Police Commissionerate, the protesters are accused of obstructing police duties, staging an illegal road blockade, and physically pushing on-duty officers. The situation at Pipulpati turned chaotic as demonstrators led by Majumdar refused to clear the vital transport artery, causing immense public inconvenience. Following a review of the incident, the police moved in at midnight and during the early hours of Sunday to detain those identified as the primary instigators of the unrest.

In total, ten individuals have been taken into custody so far. The list of arrested officials includes several municipal councillors such as Ranjan Raha, Nirmal Chakraborty, and Samir Sarkar. The police have emphasized that while the right to protest is recognized, the use of force against administration and the disruption of public order will not be tolerated. The mass arrest of almost the entire top brass of the Chinsurah Municipality has sent shockwaves through the local political landscape, leaving the civic body in a state of temporary administrative uncertainty.