11 Red Star activists nabbed en route to Bhangar

Kolkata: The connection to Maoists in creating trouble "out of nothing" at Bhangar has once again been established with 11 CPI-ML (Red Star) activists from Assam getting arrested from Belgharia station in North 24-Parganas when they were going to Bhangar.

A Special Task Force (STF) of the Kolkata Police received information that some members of CPI-ML (Red Star) from Assam, including their leader Raju Singh, who had been active in protest against the power grid in Assam, would make an attempt to enter Bhangar to ensure further deterioration of the situation.

KP, along with the district police, were present in Belgharia station and they arrested all 11 as soon as they got down at the station.

Later, investigation revealed that they had plans to go to Bhangar to instigate people to intensify the unrest that had been going on over setting up of a power grid sub-station.

Since morning, police had been keeping a close watch and also detained around 70 - 80 youths from near Chinar Park as a preventive measure to avoid any trouble at Bhangar, where senior functionary of CPI-ML (Red Star) Alik Chakraborty held a meeting on Thursday under the banner of Jomi, Jibika, Bastutantra O Paribesh Rakhya Committee at Tapaban Ground, which is adjacent to the power grid sub-station in Bhangar.

It may be mentioned that Chakraborty's name was in the FIR lodged by the state police on alleged charges of inciting violence in Bhangar over setting up of the power grid sub-station.

It may be recalled that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had repeatedly told that there was involvement of "outsiders" in Bhangar.

The matter came to light on Thursday, when CPI-ML (Red Star) activists from Assam were arrested when they were going to join the rally in Bhangar.

It was the "outsiders" who had been making the people of the area believe that setting up of the power grid would leave a major effect on their land and it would not be of much use.

In a bid to convince local people, the state government has also recently agreed to give compensation for the land above which high tension wires will be passing. It was finalised in a recent meeting held in Nabanna a few days ago.

When the matter has almost come under control, a section of people led by the CPI-ML (Red Star) activists have allegedly once again started creating unrest in the area. A large section of local people initiated a demonstration to restrict entry of outsiders into the area.

There was tension in the Gajipur area even on Wednesday night, as open firing of bullets and hurling of bombs had taken place. A large contingent of police was pressed into action and the situation was brought under control.