On 18th February, the West Bengal government removed Sumit Kumar from the post of Deputy Inspector General (Barasat Range) and made him DIG (Security). DIG (Malda Range) Bhaskar Mukherjee replaced Kumar. Notably, Kumar’s transfer came after recent incidents of violence in Sandeshkhali in district North 24 Parganas. Notably, the shuffle has been described as “routine” by the senior officials in the state government.
Furthermore, ADG & IGP, Traffic & Road Safety, Supratim Sarkar has been given the post of new ADG & IGP, South Bengal. On the other hand, ADG & IGP (Western Zone) Tripurari Atharv has been made the new ADG of state STF. Ashok Kumar Prasad ADG Bengal STF has been made ADG & IGP (Western Zone).
Santosh Pandey, who is Joint CP Headquarters of Kolkata Police, has been made additional CP III of the force. V Solomon Nesakumar, who is Joint CP of Kolkata Police, has been named the Additional CP-IV of the city police. Meeraj Khalid, who is Kolkata Police Joint CP (Establishment), has been made Joint CP (Headquarters). Syed Waqar Raza has been named as Joint CP (Crime). Abhishek Gupta has been named as DC of the North Division. Harikrishna Pai has been named as the DC of the port Division.
BJP expressed concerns over Sandeshkhali violence
While the officials in the police department have been shuffled in West Bengal, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and Madhya Pradesh Minister Kailash Vijayvargiya expressed concerns over the deteriorating law and order in West Bengal. On 17th February, speaking to ANI, Vijayvargiya said, “Law and order is destroyed in West Bengal…There is no respect for women there. Even the police don’t file reports when women are tortured…All those people who used to go out with candles, I don’t understand where their candles are today.”
#WATCH | Delhi: Madhya Pradesh Minister Kailash Vijayvargiya said, "…Law and order is completely destroyed in West Bengal…There is no respect for women there. Even the police don't file reports when women are tortured…All those people who used to go out with candles, I… pic.twitter.com/KVet4eXLvG
— ANI (@ANI) February 17, 2024
On 16th February, a BJP delegation recently went to the Sandeshkhali area to investigate the incidents of violence and sexual harassment. However, they were stopped by the police. The delegation included BJP leaders Annapurna Devi, Pratima Bhowmik, Sunita Duggal, Kavita Patidar, Sangeeta Yadav, Agnimitra Paul and Brij Lal. After they were stopped from visiting the affected area, they met Governor CV Ananda Bose. Following the meeting, one of the delegation members mentioned they would file a petition in the Supreme Court seeking permission to visit Sandeshkhali and interact with the women who have been protesting against the atrocities.
After meeting the Governor, Annapurna Devi spoke to the media and said, “Today, we had to return after being blocked midway into our journey to Sandeshkhali. We will file a petition in the Supreme Court, urging that we be allowed to go to Sandeshkhali. We will go there. The way women, children and newlywed brides have been tortured in Sandeshkhali by TMC goons and the police will be highlighted. They will get justice.”
Sandeshkhali protests
On 8th February this year, hundreds of women in Sandeshkhali took to the streets to protest against land grabbing, non-payment of wages, and sexual violence committed by Trinamool Congress leader Sheikh Shahjahan, and his two aides Shiba Prasad Hazra and Uttam Sardar.
The women attacked Shahjahan’s illegally obtained properties and set fire to a poultry farm owned by Shiba Prasad Hazra. They also surrounded the Sandeshkali police station and demanded the immediate arrest of the trio. The agitation in the village lasted for 3 days.
On 10th February, the local police imposed Section 144 in various areas in Sandeshkhali and also banned the use of the Internet in 16 panchayats scattered over the two blocks of Sandeshkhali-I and Sandeshkhali-II.
In a bid to pacify the angry villagers of Sandeshkhali, the TMC leadership suspended Uttam Sardar from the party for six years. The suspended TMC leader and Zilla Parishad member was subsequently arrested in the Sandeshkhali police station area.
The Mamata Banerjee-led-TMC government also arrested a former CPI(M) MLA named Nirpada Sardar in connection to the case on 11th February. BJP leader Vikas Singh, who happens to be the Convener of the Basirhat Lok Sabha constituency, was also arrested in connection to the women’s protest against TMC goons.
On Friday (17th February), the police finally arrested TMC leader Shibu Prasad Hazra over land grabbing and sexual exploitation of women in Sandeshkhali. The primary accused Sheikh Shahjahan, is still on the run from the law enforcement authorities.
