Locals in Sandeshkhali dance and celebrate arrest of TMC leader Shahjahan Sheikh after 55 days (WATCH)
Despite the recent turmoil in Sandeshkhali, locals took to the streets on Thursday to distributed sweets and burst crackers in jubilant dances to mark Sheikh Shahjahan's arrest.
FollowResidents of strife-ridden Sandeshkhali in West Bengal's North 24 Parganas district rejoiced on Thursday as TMC leader Shahjahan Sheikh, accused of sexual misconduct and land encroachment in the region, was apprehended. Despite the recent turmoil in the area, locals took to the streets to distribute sweets and burst crackers in jubilant dances to mark Shahjahan's arrest. After 55 days of eluding authorities, his capture brought a sense of relief to the community that had been protesting in Sandeshkhali's riverine vicinity.
"We are very happy that he has been arrested at last. We just hope he should be put behind bars and never return to this area. He has destroyed lives of many people area", a local said.
Echoing similar sentiments, a woman said, "We hope that his other associates are also put behind bars"
The riverine region of Sandeshkhali, situated on the borders of the Sundarbans approximately 100 kilometers from Kolkata, has been engulfed in turmoil for over a month. The protests have erupted due to allegations of sexual abuse and land appropriation directed at Shahjahan Sheikh and his cohorts.
The unrest in the area has its roots in accusations against Shahjahan and his supporters of seizing land and perpetrating sexual assaults, with the local TMC leader evading authorities following a mob attack on Enforcement Directorate officials on January 5.
On Thursday morning, Shahjahan Sheikh was apprehended from a residence in Minakhan, located approximately 30 kilometers away from the island of Sandeshkhali. Police reported that Sheikh had been hiding in the house along with several associates.
Meanwhile, West Bengal Governor C V Ananda Bose welcomes Sheikh Shahjahan's arrest and asserted that the time has come to put criminals, who are ruling the roost in parts of Bengal, behind bars.
"This is the beginning of an end. We have to put an end to the cycle of violence in Bengal. In parts of Bengal, the goons are ruling the roost. This must end and the gangsters should be put behind bars", the governor said at a press conference in Kolkata.
Bose asserted that the Sandeshkhali incident merely scratches the surface, implying that there is a deeper and more complex underlying situation beyond what is readily apparent.
