West Bengal: Bhangar limps back to normalcy after 10 days of anti-land grab movement

Almost 10 days after the anti-land grab movement at Bhangar in Bengal’s South 24 Parganas district, the area limped back to normalcy on Wednesday.

Most schools, colleges and doctor’s clinics reopened and transport services resumed across the area. Students were seen going to schools for the first time since the agitation began. All the roads that were cut-off by the agitating villagers over the setting up of a substation of Power Grid Corporation Limited were opened. Buses were seen plying on the roads that remained deserted since January 16, following clashes that broke out between the villagers and police. 
 
Soon after the state government announced that the project will be scrapped and land will not be taken away from farmers forcibly, the agitation by the villagers was withdrawn. However, a section of villagers had been protesting and demanded that the state government have a dialogue with them.
 
A huge contingent of police force comprising the Combat Force, RAF and other officials of district police of South 24 Parganas have been deployed in the area to further maintain the law and order situation.
 
On the other hand, West Bengal Police arrested the central committee leader of CPI(ML) Red Star, Sharmishtha Choudhury for allegedly leading the movement against the power grid.
 
According to sources, in a recent meeting held between Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, state DGP Surajit Kar Purkayastha and Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar, the Chief Minister asked the police to come down heavily on the outfits and groups leading the agitation. She reportedly asked the police to arrest leaders of CPI(ML) Red Star, who are leading the agitation.
 
Since then, leaders of CPI(ML) Red Star had been under the scanner of the West Bengal Police. Besides Choudhury, Alik Chakraborty and Pradip Singh Thakur, the politburo members of the party are also under the scanner of the police.