Sandeshkhali unrest: Sheikh Shahjahan aide detained; TMC claims ‘zero tolerance’ against crime
Ajit Maiti – a local TMC leader and close aide of absconding strongman Sheikh Shahjahan – is accused of land grabbing in the trouble-ridden Sandeshkhali enclave in North 24 Parganas district, West Bengal police said.
Sandeshkhali unrest: West Bengal police on Sunday arrested Ajit Maiti – a local TMC leader and close aide of absconding strongman Sheikh Shahjahan – on charges of land grabbing in the trouble-ridden Sandeshkhali enclave in North 24 Parganas district.
A senior police officer said Maiti, considered a close aide of fugitive Shajahan Sheikh, was held at the residence of a civilian volunteer where he locked himself for over four hours after being chased by villagers.
The TMC leader is accused of land grabbing from villagers in the violence-hit region.
“We arrested him after complaints of land grabbing by villagers. We will examine their complaints and then decide to arrest him,” the officer said.
Angry villagers had attacked Maiti a few days ago over his alleged links with Shahjahan and his group, who were allegedly involved in land grabbing and torture of local women.
TMC does not ‘protect’ Sheikh
Meanwhile, the ruling Trinamool Congress on Sunday refuted allegations of ‘shielding’ Shahjahan and asserted that the party has a ‘zero tolerance policy’ against crime and criminals.
Addressing a program in Budge Budge, TMC National General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee alleged that “few outsiders” were creating trouble and creating unrest in the region ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.
“The TMC is not protecting Shajahan Sheikh… We have a zero-tolerance policy against anyone who commits a crime,” Banerjee said.
Opposition parties in the state have accused the ruling TMC of protecting the Sheikh.
The Sandeshkhali riverine area of North 24 Parganas district has been on the boil for more than a month, with protests against Sheikh and his supporters over allegations of land grabbing and sexual abuse of locals.
Sandeshkhali unrest
Since the first week of February, villages in Sandeshkhali area of North 24 district have been witnessing protests over allegations of sexual atrocities against women and land grabbing by TMC leaders.
Police have so far arrested 18 people, including local TMC leader Shibu Prasad Hazra and Uttam Sardar, in connection with the Sandeshkhali violence incidents. They have also added sections on ‘gang rape’ and ‘attempted murder’ against three of the main suspects, one of whom is still absconding.
The sections were added after a victim woman recorded her statement before a magistrate under Section 164 of the CrPC.
A large number of women in Sandeshkhali had accused TMC strongman Shajahan Sheikh and his supporters of “land grabbing and sexual abuse” of them forcibly.
Shajahan has gone into hiding after a gang, allegedly linked to him, attacked Enforcement Directorate officials who had gone to search his premises in connection with a ration scam on January 5.
(With PTI inputs)