Bengal has become the violence ground during elections which was evident from the Last state elections in Bengal. Meanwhile, in three seats of West Bengal – Baler Ghat, Raiganj, and Darjeeling—voting took place amidst reports of bullets and bombs on 26/04/2024
In addition to this, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) compared the ruling Trinamool Congress Party (TMC) government to Taliban rule. The BJP accused the TMC of carrying out a political murder in East Medinipur, linking them to the Taliban’s brutal style of killing. The victim, Deen Bandhu, was a BJP worker who had gone missing since Wednesday. The BJP alleged that the TMC was responsible for his murder. To investigate further, a team was sent to Moina in East Medinipur, where the incident occurred. The victim’s family claimed that Deen Bandhu was innocent and that the police had not taken any action despite his disappearance being reported 24 hours prior. The BJP also claimed that the area where the incident took place was under the control of the BJP and had been turned into a stronghold. They questioned whether any other political party could enter the area during elections without facing violence.
In the middle of politically motivated violence, the most significant development was the seizure of large cache of arms and ammunition during Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) raids at Agarhati Village in Sandeshkhali, West Bengal. The CBI team, which is currently investigating the attack on Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials, discovered the weapons in a concrete structure in the Sarbariya area of Sandeshkhali. Following the discovery, an NSG (National Security Guard) team has been deployed to defuse the bombs and explosives found at the site. We will cover more details on the ongoing operation and the potential implications of this seizure.
The Seizure and NSG Deployment:
After receiving information about the hidden weapons, the CBI team conducted a search operation in Sandeshkhali. They unearthed a significant quantity of arms and ammunition stored inside a house. Upon discovering the cache, the CBI immediately alerted the NSG for assistance. Currently, an NSG team, along with bomb disposal and dog squads, is present at the site to ensure the safe disposal of the explosives.
Below are the weapons recovered from the area:
03 foreign-made Revolvers, 01 Indian Revolver, 01 Colt official Police Revolver, 01 foreign-made Pistol, 01 country made Pistol, 09 mm bullets- 120 nos, .45 calibre cartridges – 50 nos, 9 mm calibre cartridges-120 nos, .380 cartridges -50 nos, .32 cartridges- 08 nos.
Evacuation and Safety Measures:
To ensure the safety of the local residents, the NSG commandos have evacuated the surrounding area. The residents have been asked to relocate to safer locations until the explosives are defused. Once the operation is complete, the locals will be allowed to return to their homes.
Role of West Bengal Government
In Sandeshkhali, women held protests against the ruling TMC and Shahjahan, accusing him and his aides of committing atrocities and seizing their lands illegally.
The ED team was attacked and beaten up on January 5 as they went to raid the premises of Shajahan Sheikh in connection with a ration scam, (ED officers were attacked by a mob of 1,000 people, reportedly instigated by Shahjahan)
Sheikh Shahjahan was arrested in February in connection with the attack on ED officers.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also targeted the state’s Mamata administration for violence and sexual atrocities in the region.’ “So many atrocities were committed against women in Sandeshkhali and the TMC government kept protecting the main accused till the end,” the PM had said during an election rally in Malda.
The case reached the Court, West Bengal High Court had directed the CBI to take up the probe into allegations of land grabbing and sexual assault in Sandeshkhali. The CBI had also filed three FIRs about the case.
Meanwhile, the West Bengal government, led by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, reached the Supreme Court Friday against the HC’s order.
Investigation and Potential Links:
The CBI is still in the process of completing the operation and has not yet released an official statement regarding the ownership of the house or the individuals involved. However, preliminary information suggests that the weapons may belong to a relative of a Trinamool Congress Panchayat member. The political affiliation and potential links of the individual with TMC leader Sheikh Shahjahan will be closely monitored and investigated. Additionally, the authorities will also explore any possible connections to terrorist activities or the upcoming elections.
The seizure of a significant quantity of arms and ammunition in Sandeshkhali, West Bengal, has led to a major operation involving the CBI and NSG. The Perpetrators were supposed to be brought under trail, but West Bengal Government is fighting a legal battle to protect them. The NSG team has been deployed to defuse the explosives and ensure the safety of the local residents. The investigation into the ownership of the house and the potential links to political figures and terrorist activities is still ongoing. As more information becomes available, the authorities will provide an official statement regarding the findings and implications of this operation.