Reader TTS

Siliguri Police have arrested seven individuals in connection with Saturday ’s violent attack on the family members of Bajrang Dal activists in Tumbajote under Matigara police station. The

accused were produced before the Siliguri Sub-Divisional Court today. The incident has triggered communal tension in the region. According to police sources, a group of armed miscreants

allegedly vandalised several business establishments and set fire to the residence of local Bajrang Dal member Amit Gupta, leaving some family members injured. Advertisement The day before

the attack, Amit Gupta and two of his associates were arrested for allegedly intercepting a vehicle suspected of illegally transporting beef from Naxalbari and setting it on fire. This

incident is believed to have sparked the subsequent retaliatory violence. Advertisement In response, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) has called for a 24-hour bandh across Siliguri

sub-division tomorrow, with preparations already underway. Amid rising tensions, political parties have begun trading charges. The CPI-M Darjeeling district secretary Saman Pathak held both

the police and the VHP accountable for the failure to contain the violence. “Had the police taken timely action, they could have dealt with the miscreants firmly. Instead, they showed

reluctance,” he said. Pathak, leading a delegation from the Left Front, met Siliguri Police Commissioner C. Sudhakar today after a prolonged wait and urged immediate intervention to prevent

further unrest and ensure normalcy during Monday’s bandh. Meanwhile, VHP leader Laxman Bansal claimed that attackers posing as deputation groups deliberately targeted Hindu families in

Tumbajote. He alleged that police failed to act despite prior information about the planned assault. The CPI-M also criticised elected representatives, including the MP of Darjeeling and MLA

from  Matigara Naxalbari for allegedly making provocative statements at the scene and accused them of attempting to disrupt communal harmony. Pathak also suggested that the initial attack

on the beef transporter was part of a pre-planned effort to inflame tensions. Adding to the controversy, Darjeeling MP Raju Bista has written to West Bengal Governor Dr C V Ananda Bose and

the Union Home Ministry regarding a video allegedly showing Siliguri ACP D Bose threatening Hindu protesters. According to Bista, the officer was heard saying, “They can chant ‘Jai Shri Ram’

as much as they want now, but action will be taken at night.” “This kind of open threat from a police officer, made publicly and in front of the media, is deeply concerning. It raises

serious questions about the impartiality and conduct of law enforcement,” Bista said. With the VHP bandh scheduled for 2 June, authorities are on high alert to maintain law and order in

Siliguri.  Advertisement