Syndicate arm-twisting Baguiati school to sell land at cheaper rate

Some syndicate members allegedly attempted to browbeat authorities of a primary school to sell their land at lower than market rates at Baguiati’s Santoshpalli.

Authorities of Sacred School reached Baguiati police station and lodged a complaint against local syndicate members. The incident comes to light a couple of days after police arrested three syndicate members from New Town area on the charge of setting up an illegal construction.

Police have initiated a probe, but yet to make arrests in the Baguiati case. “The teachers and members of teh school committee came to the station to lodge a complaint. We have already started the investigation on the basis of their complaint,” said police officer.

The school authorities alleged there had been no such problems in the premises in the last 50 years. Recently, some local anti-socials – working under a real estate promoter – threatened the school authorities to sell the land and a pond at comparatively lowers market price. “They even threatened to forcefully take away the property if we do not concede to their proposals,” said a school committee member.

“Some local syndicate members based out of Vidyasagar Palli sent those anti-socials to frighten us. Some policemen also tried to mislead us. However, some good officers took us to the Baguiati police station and helped us lodge the complaint,” the committee member further said adding. The member will go to the commissioner of Bidhannagar Commissionerate to discuss the problem.

Some local people have been dumping garbage in the pond, which has been choking with waste materials. Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation, however, instructed the local Councillor to take necessary steps to clean up the pond. “The syndicate members are trying to fill the pond before the Councillor could do anything here,” the school committee member alleged.

It may be recalled that the police earlier had arrested many people from New Town on the charge of running a syndicate. The syndicate members used to threaten real estate traders in New Town-Rajarhat, Baguiati and Bidhannagar.