Director general of state police (DG) Rajeev Kumar, accompanied by additional director general of police (South Bengal) Supratim Sarkar today reached Bermajur areas near Sandeshkhali in North 24-Parganas as local women hit the streets again.

Carrying sticks and brooms, the women are demanding the arrest of absconding Sheikh Shahjahan and his close associates, accused of sexual harassment and violence. Women also alleged that police picked up innocent male members of their families, even school boys, including a higher secondary candidate. DGP Mr Kumar and ADG (south Bengal) Sarkar reached the tension-hit zone with a huge police contingent. Both DGP and ADG were heard appealing to the protesting women to contact the district administration and register their complaints instead of protesting on the streets. “Everybody should obey the law. People can lodge their complaint with the local police if they have grievances but they should not take the law and order into their own hands,” said Mr Kumar.

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The top cop was also seen making an attempt to convince the protesters by saying that such protests will only delay the process of redemption of their grievances. Considering the gravity of the situation, the police have issued fresh prohibitory orders, under Section 144 in areas under two village panchayats of Sandeshkhali.

Tension was brewing in Sandeshkhali since Thursday evening after the local people burnt down a warehouse within a pisciculture farm owned by Sheikh Sirajuddin, younger brother of Sheikh Shahjahan. The mob also attacked TMC leader Ajit Maity and beat up him, who later fled from his residence. Besides the arrest of absconding Trinamul Congress leader, the protesting women, on Friday, also raised the demand of return of farmland illegally and forcefully occupied by Shahjahan and his associates and converted them into pisciculture farms by letting in saline water there.

Meanwhile, a team of BJP delegation led by the party Lok Sabha member Locket Chatterjee and the party legislator Agnimitra Paul was stopped by the police midway while they were on their way to Sandeshkhali. After being stopped in the Bhojerhat area, Chatterjee and Paul were seen getting engaged in a heated exchange of words with police officials.

Chatterjee was later arrested and brought to the Kolkata Police headquarters, Lalbazar. The West Bengal unit of the BJP is planning a marathon three-day dharna from 27 February in Kolkata along with women from Sandeshkhali.

The party plans to launch protests, similar to the Nandigram movement that ended the Left Front’s rule in the state. The state BJP unit has decided to start demonstrations from 27 February and continue till 29 February. BJP’s state president Dr Sukanta Majumdar and Suvendu Adhikari, along with other senior leaders will lead the demonstration.