KOLKATA: Six police personnel were injured and a police vehicle vandalised on Friday night after a mob attacked officers attempting to arrest a Trinamool Congress (TMC) worker in Sandeshkhali, once again thrusting the coastal block into the political spotlight ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections.
The incident took place in Boyermari village when a team from Nazat Police Station went to arrest local TMC activist Musa Mollah in connection with alleged illegal occupation of land and water bodies for pisciculture.
According to the police, as officers tried to detain Mollah and put him into a police vehicle, a group of villagers—allegedly his supporters—blocked the car, pelted stones and vandalised the vehicle. Six policemen, including an officer, sustained injuries and were taken to a local hospital, from where they were later discharged.
Amid the chaos, Mollah managed to flee, prompting the police to revise their earlier claim 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 said.
Police sources said Mollah had repeatedly ignored notices issued in a land dispute case. Following complaints that agricultural land was being flooded 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. Apart from arresting nine people, the police also detained two local TMC leaders—the gram panchayat pradhan and upa-pradhan of Boyermari Gram Panchayat 2—for allegedly instigating the violence.
Raids are being conducted in nearby areas, and CCTV footage is being examined to identify others involved in the attack, police said.