Two Hindu Group Members Arrested in West Bengal for Alleged Communal Provocation
NORTH 24 PARGANAS, WEST BENGAL – Two members of a fringe Hindu outfit were arrested on Thursday for allegedly attempting to stoke communal tensions by pasting a Pakistani flag inside a railway toilet near the India-Bangladesh border, police said.
Key Details of the Incident:
-
Location: Sealdah-Bongaon railway section (North 24 Parganas district, close to the Indo-Bangla border).
-
Accused:
-
Chandan Malakar (30) & Progyajit Mondal (45) – members of Sanatani Ekta Mancha, a hardline Hindu group.
-
-
Alleged Plan:
-
Pasting a Pakistani flag on a railway toilet wall.
-
Intended to paint slogans like “Hindustan Murdabad” (Down with India) and “Pakistan Zindabad” (Long live Pakistan) to incite unrest.
-
-
Charges:
-
Promoting enmity between groups (IPC Section 153A).
-
Criminal conspiracy (IPC Section 120B).
-
Confession & Police Action:
-
Bongaon SP Dinesh Kumar stated the accused “confessed during interrogation.”
-
Heightened security deployed to prevent escalation.
Political Backlash:
-
BJP’s Claim:
-
Ashok Kirtania (BJP MLA & Sanatani Ekta Mancha leader) called it a “false case” and accused police of “political vendetta.”
-
-
TMC’s Response:
-
Biswajit Das (TMC district chief) accused BJP of “conspiring to disrupt communal harmony.”
-
Why This Matters?
-
Sensitive Location: The Sealdah-Bongaon line is a crucial transit route near a volatile border zone.
-
Rising Communal Tensions: Such incidents risk triggering unrest in a state with a history of political-communal clashes.
-
Echoes of “False Flag” Tactics? Authorities suspect deliberate attempts to blame minority groups for staged provocations.
-
Police Monitoring: Authorities are “closely watching” for potential fallout.
-
Legal Proceedings: Case likely to fuel further political sparring between BJP & TMC.
While police insist the accused acted independently, the incident underscores how communal provocations remain a potent tool in India’s polarized landscape—especially near sensitive borders.
