Sandeshkhali mob attack on police injures six; nine held
Kolkata (PTI): Six policemen were injured and a police vehicle vandalised in a mob attack during an attempt to arrest a TMC worker in Sandeshkhali, once again pushing the coastal block into political focus ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections.
The incident occurred on Friday night when a team from Nazat police station went to Boyermari village in Sandeshkhali to arrest local TMC activist Musa Mollah in connection with alleged illegal occupation of land and water bodies for pisciculture, police said.
As officers tried to pick up Mollah from his residence and place him inside the police vehicle, a group of villagers, described by police as his supporters, allegedly blocked the car, threw stones and vandalised it.
Six policemen, including an officer, were injured and later treated at a local hospital before being discharged.
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Taking advantage of the chaos, Mollah managed to escape, police said, revising earlier information that he had been arrested.
"We have arrested nine people so far, but Musa Mollah is still absconding. Efforts are on to nab him," a senior police officer told PTI.
Earlier it was reported that Mollah was nabbed by the police.
Police sources said Mollah had been served repeated notices in a land dispute case, which he allegedly ignored.
Following complaints that agricultural land was being filled with saline water, a Basirhat sub-divisional court had imposed prohibitory orders on the disputed property.
Reinforcements were rushed to the area after the police team came under attack.
Besides arresting nine people, the police detained two local TMC leaders, including the gram panchayat pradhan and upa-pradhan of Boyermari Gram Panchayat 2, for allegedly instigating the violence, officials said.
Raids were carried out in nearby houses and CCTV footage was being examined to identify other accused, police said, adding that the situation was under control with additional forces deployed as a precaution.
The incident triggered sharp political reactions. BJP leader Sajal Ghosh said the attack reflected the "desperation and brazenness" of ruling party activists under Mamata Banerjee's government.
"From attacks on central agencies earlier to attacks on state police now, the pattern remains the same," he said.
The ruling TMC sought to distance itself from the violence. Party spokesperson Arup Chakraborty condemned the attack as "deplorable" and said the party did not support such acts.
"The police are performing their duty, and whatever action they take will have our support," he said, accusing the opposition of politicising the incident.
The clash revived memories of January 2024, when an Enforcement Directorate team was attacked in Sandeshkhali during a raid on the residence of suspended TMC leader Sheikh Shahjahan in connection with the alleged ration distribution scam.
Several ED officials were injured, forcing the team to retreat.
Shahjahan who was later arrested by the CBI is currently in judicial custody, with multiple cases pending against him.
Sandeshkhali had dominated West Bengal's political narrative during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections as a symbol of alleged strongarm tactics and administrative breakdown.
With Assembly polls due in 2026, Friday's attack has once again turned the region into a law-and-order and political flashpoint, sharpening the ruling-opposition battle in the run-up to the high-stakes contest.
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Centre must roll back LPG price hike, says Kerala CM
Thiruvananthapuram (PTI): Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Sunday demanded that the Centre immediately roll back the recent steep hike in LPG prices, alleging that it has severely impacted common people and small businesses.
In a statement, Vijayan described the increase as "one of the most cruel" in the history of cooking gas price revisions, saying it has pushed ordinary households and entrepreneurs into distress.
He said the price of commercial LPG cylinders had been raised by Rs 993 in one go, crossing Rs 3,000, which would adversely affect the hotel and restaurant sector.
The hike in the price of 5-kg LPG cylinders by Rs 251.50 would hit migrant workers and small families who depend on them, he added.
The chief minister alleged that the hike came immediately after the conclusion of Assembly elections in states, placing an additional burden on common people, small-scale entrepreneurs and migrant labourers.
Pointing to the ongoing crisis in West Asia, Vijayan said the hospitality sector has already been facing a shortage of cooking gas for months and the latest price increase would be difficult to absorb.
The burden would ultimately be passed on to consumers, he said, warning that several small establishments, including those in Kerala, could be forced to shut down.
Accusing oil companies of prioritising profits over public welfare, he said such a trend of imposing additional financial burden on people cannot be accepted.
Vijayan also alleged that the Centre's policies favour corporate interests and called for a correction in approach.
He urged the Union government to withdraw the excessive hike without delay.
The price of commercial LPG was hiked by the steepest ever Rs 993 per 19-kg cylinder on May 1, marking the third straight monthly increase due to rising global energy prices linked to the West Asia conflict.
