Sandeshkhali Violence : West Bengal Police Arrests TMC Leader Sheikh Shahjahan

KOLKATA: In a significant turn of events, the West Bengal police have arrested absconding Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Sheikh Shahjahan on Thursday morning.

According to reports, the notorious TMC leader, accused of engaging in sexual violence and land grab in Sandeshkhali village, was apprehended from a house in Minakhan in West Bengal's North 24 Parganas district where he was hiding.

Supratim Sarkar, ADG south Bengal, later told the press that Shahjahan was arrested in relation to the case pertaining to the attack on ED officials.

"Shahjahan was arrested late on Wednesday night from Bamanpukur area at Minakhan in North 24 Parganas. He was arrested in connection with the case related to attack on ED officials on January 5," Sarkar said.

"He was one of the principal accused in the case. Several other cases have been lodged against him after protests broke out in Sandeshkhali earlier this month. Those are being investigated," the ADG of South Bengal added.

Currently, the TMC stalwart is kept at the Basirhat court lockup and he will be produced before the court later in the day.

“Shajahan Sheikh has been arrested. We welcome the steps of state (West Bengal) police. Our leader Abhishek Banerjee pointed out that due to some parts of the order from the honourable High Court, state police had been restrained from taking any action," TMC leader Kunal Ghosh said.

"After he pointed out the problem, honourable High Court removed the restrictions and the police became free (to take action)," the TMC leader added.

Meanwhile, Sandeshkhali located in North 24 Parganas district has seen massive protests of late over alleged sexual atrocities and land grabbing by some local Trinamool Congress leaders, including Sheikh Shahjahan.

After the attack on Enforcement Directorate officials in Sandeshkhali last month, Shahjahan was on the run as the possibility of his arrest loomed large.

The Mamata Banerjee-led West Bengal Government had been facing the brunt as the TMC strongman evaded arrest for weeks.

The situation remained tense in Sandeshkhali as delegations of political parties and members of civil society groups made a beeline to the strife-torn village amid calls for arrest.

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