BJP leader and LoP West Bengal Legislative Assembly Suvendhu Adhikari on Tuesday accused Mamata Banerjee's government of disappearing four students who were set to participate in the Nabanna Abhijan rally today. He held that if anything happened to them, 'Mamata Police' would be accountable.
He also mentioned the names of the students - Subhojit Ghosh, Pulokesh Pandit, Goutam Senapati, and Pritam Sarkar saying that they were arriving at Howrah Station when they got disappeared. In a post on social media X, Suvendu said, "The following Student Activists who were distributing food to the volunteers, who were arriving at Howrah Station, suddenly went missing after midnight:- Subhojit Ghosh, Pulokesh Pandit, Goutam Senapati, Pritam Sarkar."
Furthermore, he said, "Neither they can be traced nor are they answering their phones. We apprehend that they may have been arrested/detained by the Mamata Police. If something happens to them Mamata Police will be held accountable."
BJP leader lodges complaint
Meanwhile, BJP leader and lawyer Koustav Bagchi lodged a complaint with Golabari Police Station, Howrah saying that the student activists who were instrumental in organising the Nabanna Chalo protest were kidnapped last night at around 11:45 pm from an adjacent place of Howrah Police Station by miscreants associated with TMC party.
'Four arrested': Police reacts
The West Bengal Police has however denied their missing and said that they were arrested because of orchestrating large-scale violence during the Nabanna Abhijan. West Bengal Police said, "A certain political leader has been trying to create a false narrative about four students who have apparently been missing since last night. The truth is, nobody is missing. The four were planning to orchestrate large-scale violence during the Nabanna Abhijan today, and were involved in a conspiracy of murder and attempted murder. They have been arrested in the Interest of public safety and security, and their families have been informed."
After the police informed about it on X, Suvendu Adhikari also reacted to it and said that the families of students have reached out to the High Court.
Nabanna Abhijan march
Notably, Chhatra Samaj is to hold a 'Nabanna Abhijan' rally, a march to the secretariat, demanding the resignation of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and action against those responsible for the alleged rape-murder of a doctor in RG Kar hospital. The ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) and West Bengal Police expressed their apprehension of potential disruptions during the rally, but, the student organisation said its rally will be peaceful.
Who is holding the rally?
The call for March to Nabanna, the Bengal state secretariat, was separately given by an unregistered students’ body Paschim Banga Chhatra Samaj (West Bengal Students Community) and the Sangrami Joutha Mancha (Joint Platform of Struggle), an organisation of state government employees who have been agitating since long demanding their DA to be made at par with their Central government counterparts.
Police have received credible intelligence suggesting attempts would be made by miscreants to mix among protestors and incite large-scale violence and chaos during the rally, said ADG (Law and Order) Manoj Verma while addressing reporters at Nabanna.
Elaborate security arrangements in place
West Bengal Police made elaborate security arrangements ahead of the rally. More than 6,000 police personnel of Kolkata Police were deployed from 8 am today. Moreover, 26 DC rank officers, 21 IG, and DIG rank officials are present on site. The police have set up multilayer barricading.
(With PTI Inputs)
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