Sandeshkhali remains tense, former CPI(M) MLA granted bail

Tensions rise in Kolkata's Sandeshkhali as political parties and civil society groups visit amid arrests and protests.

Sandeshkhali remained tense on Tuesday with delegations of political parties and members of civil society groups making a beeline to the strife-torn island in North 24 Parganas.

The police arrested Indian Secular Front (ISF) MLA Nawshad Siddique and prevented senior State Congress leaders from heading towards Sandeshkhali. Mr. Siddique, who represents the Bhangar constituency in South 24 Parganas district, was arrested near Science City in Kolkata, and taken to the Kolkata Police headquarters in Lalbazar.

The MLA said that he was supposed to visit multiple areas, including Sandeshkhali, but was arrested several kilometres prior, without any reason being provided.

The Congress delegation led by Soumya Aich Roy said that he had been arrested about seven kilometres from Nazat Police Station in Sandeshkhali.

During the day, members of civil society, including actor Badshah Moitra, visited Sandeshkhali and spoke to the locals. Villagers, particularly the women, who have been targeting local Trinamool leaders over the past few days, on Tuesday held protests demanding that the local Integrated Child Development Centre (ICDS) for children be opened up.

Meanwhile, the Calcutta High Court on Tuesday granted bail to former Sandeshkhali Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) MLA Nirapada Sardar.

Mr. Sardar, who was MLA of Sandeshkhali from 2006-2011, was arrested by the police for his alleged involvement in violent protests in Sandeshkhali. The CPI(M) MLA was arrested on February 11 over a First Information Report (FIR) filed at the Sandeshkhali Police Station. Questions have been raised in political circles here about the arrest of the former CPI(M) MLA of Sandeshkhali from Kolkata.