Protests erupted once again in West Bengal's Sandeshkhali on Friday afternoon, with villagers in Belmajur targeting the residence of local Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Ajit Maity. Accusing him of involvement in land grabbing and extortion, the villagers ransacked Maity's house and assaulted him outside the island where the main agitation had started two weeks ago. The previous day, protesters in the area had vandalized and set fire to the guard room of a fishery in Jhupkhali.
Sandeshkhali has been embroiled in controversy since the January 5 assault on Enforcement Directorate officers at the residence of TMC leader Shahjahan Sheikh. The officers were conducting a search related to alleged irregularities in the state’s public distribution system. Following this incident, women in Sandeshkhali accused Sheikh and his supporters of land encroachment and sexual assault.
In response to the latest incident, Additional Director General of Police Supratim Sarkar assured action against the perpetrators. However, tensions escalated when police prevented a BJP delegation and women lawyers from visiting the area, leading to a scuffle and the detention of MP Locket Chatterjee and MLA Agnimitra Paul.
In a related development, the Enforcement Directorate filed a new case against Shahjahan Sheikh for an old cheating incident allegedly linked to land encroachment. The agency conducted searches at several locations associated with Sheikh and his associates.
The situation in Sandeshkhali remains tense as protests persist and political tensions rise. While the police have pledged action against those involved in the violence, the underlying issues of land encroachment and political rivalries remain unresolved.