Trinamool Congress leader found dead at a hotel in Bengal’s Mandarmani
A Trinamool Congress leader was found dead at a hotel at the Mandarmani sea resort in West Bengal's East Midnapore district on Saturday morning, triggering tension in the area.
People of Sandeshkhali, the trouble-hit island in North 24-Parganas, heaved a sigh of relief with the arrest of Sheikh Shahjahan, the Trinamul Congress strongman and member of the zilla parishad in the district, on Thursday.
Police arrested him on charge of alleged rape, sexual abuse of women, murder and land grab in the Sandeshkhali area.
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Locals, including women and men, were demanding arrest of the leader for the past 55 days, ever since a mob attacked Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials who had raided his residence at Akunjipara on 5 January to explore his alleged connection with ration distribution scam in the state.
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Today, locals in different villages in Sandeshkhali block celebrated the arrest of Shahjahan distributing sweets among themselves.
Women, who were at the forefront of the agitations against police and Trinamul congress leadership for their inaction to nab Shahjahan and his associates in Sandeshkhali, started celebration by blowing conch shells and throwing abir at each other.
They danced in joy coming out on the streets in the river belt and celebrated the arrest of the ruling party strongman.
“We are very happy that Sheikh Shahjahan has been arrested at last. We just hope he should be put behind bars and never return to this area. He has destroyed the lives of many people in the area,” a local said.
Sandeshkhali, situated on the borders of the Sundarbans, about 70 kilometres from the city, has been on the boil for more than a month with protests over allegations of sexual abuse and land grab against Shahjahan Sheikh and his supporters.
CPM led by its state secretary Md Salim brought out a big rally this afternoon at Nazat in Sandeshkhali protesting against the arrest of Nirapada Sardar, former MLA of the party.
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