Bhangar clash: Naxalite leader held for triggering violence

According to reports, the Naxalite leader, Sharmistha Choudhury, has been arrested from Panapukur village under Kashipur Police Station limits in South 24 Parganas district, few kilometres away from Bhangar.

"Senior leader of ultra-left organization- Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) Red Star, Sharmistha Chowdhury, whose incitement led to violence in Bhangar, has been arrested and taken to New Town Police Station, where she is being interrogated currently," a senior police official told IBNS.

Weeks ago, at least two youths were shot dead during a massive skirmish between local villagers and police over the erection of a 440/220 KV power grid substation in Bhangar.

The state government had claimed that provocation of outsiders and Naxalite leaders led to the clash.

Eight days after the clash, a heavy police force entered the violence-hit village on Wednesday morning and carried out root march there.

Following the arrest of Naxalite leader Sharmistha Choudhury, General Secretary of CPI(ML) Red Star, K.N. Ramachandran, said in a press statement: "Comrade Sharmistha Choudhury, central committee member of the CPI(ML) Red Star, general secretary of AIRWO and a leading member of the “Committee to Save Land, Livelihood and Environment” leading the Bhangar movement in South 24 Pargana of West Bengal is taken in to custody by plain clothes policemen using force from Kolkata streets in the evening."

"The very huge police/para military forces and goonda vahinis have started entering the villages and attacking the people at Bhangar. All party comrades are also facing threats of arrests. The people struggling to save land, livelihood and environment are subjected to barbarous attacks by Mamta Government in W. Bengal with the support of Modi government when they are celebrating their republic day. It is brutal state terror in action and an aggression against people's basic rights. Organize countrywide protests. We appeal to all struggling left forces, democratic and progressive forces to condemn these attacks and to protest against these," the party statement further said.

Meanwhile, protesters have started road blockades again at several points in Bhangar after the arrest of the ultra-left leader, according to the latest update came in.

(Reporting by Deepayan Sinha)