A clash broke out between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers and the police in riot-hit Sandeshkhali on Tuesday after tensions escalated during a protest against the alleged sexual harassment of women by TMC leader Shahjahan Sheikh and his aides.
The situation turned tense as BJP supporters, including West Bengal chief Sukanta Majumdar, marching towards the Superintendent of Police office in Basirhat, reportedly broke through barricades, leading to a significant disturbance in the area.
In response to the escalating tensions, police resorted to lathi charge to disperse the crowd.
Earlier in the day, Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) was imposed in the vicinity of the SP office in Basirhat from 6 am and 6 pm to maintain law and order. A large number of police personnel were also deployed in the area to prevent any untoward incident.
What is happening in Sandeshkhali?
Several women in Sandeshkhali have been protesting for the last few days over the alleged atrocities against them by Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Shahjahan Sheikh and his aides. The women have claimed that Sheikh and his “gang” captured swathes of land by force, besides sexually harassing them in the area.