Police today broke down the door of a BJP leader’s house and arrested him in Muchipara on Friday amidst a tussle between TMC and saffron party activists and allegations of vandalism and eve-teasing.

Sajal Das, a BJP leader, dared police to break down the door of his Muchipara house and arrest him as he refused to surrender. Muchipara police personnel kicked and banged the door while TMC and BJP activists were embroiled in a melee outside. The incident comes following the vandalism of a local club in the area on Thursday night and allegations of eve-teasing.

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Police said that two FIRs were lodged by TMC against Das, adding that he was arrested on charges of assault, theft and possession of arms. The BJP leader, while being escorted to the police station, alleged “vendetta politics” by the ruling party and claimed he was being falsely implicated. Vandalism led to an exchange of barbs between the activists of both parties.

The BJP alleged that a local club and a shop were ransacked and vandalised allegedly by TMC goons under the leadership of local TMC leader Debashish Banerjee alias Kankata Debu. The TMC accused BJP leaders and members of the club of outraging a woman’s modesty which was allegedly instigated by Das.

The woman, who has filed a complaint, is the wife of a TMC leader. BJP Bengal chief Dilip Ghosh said that in broad daylight, in front of the media and the public, the police today provided a glaring example of how to treat a state BJP leader in Bengal.

“People saw that three policemen forcibly broke open the door of a BJP leader’s residence. Under the instruction of the chief minister, Mamata Banerjee police showed people that there are no human rights for opposition parties. Only the law of anarchy is prevailing here,” Ghosh said.

He said Miss Banerjee sent her MPs to Delhi for dharna against BJP, but in Bengal the TMC is trampling the democratic and human rights of the opposition leaders. The entire episode took place in front of Sajal’s aged father Pradip Das, he added. Several thousands of BJP workers have been tortured, Pradip said.

“TMC’s only policy is to torture Opposition leaders on silly issues and kill them if BJP leader would not stop,” Ghosh said. Ghosh said Sajal could not be accused and named in or be blamed if any other person teased any woman at a local club. “TMC leaders who had raped BJP leaders’ wives are roaming freely. But leaders like Sajal who did not do any offence were treated like criminals and arrested. This is democracy in Bengal,” he said.

The BJP state president also said that the party will seek legal recourse to counter it. “Sajal is not a criminal that police have to break open the door and arrest him,” said Ghosh