Sheikh Shahjahan’s Brother Among 3 Arrested by CBI Over Attack on ED Officials in Sandeshkhali

Kolkata: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) late Saturday evening arrested three more persons, including suspended Trinamool Congress leader Shahjahan Sheikh's brother, in connection with the case involving alleged attack on the Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials in the unrest-hit region of Sandeshkhali in North 24 Parganas district of West Bengal. The village has been marred by violence that erupted over reported atrocities including land-grabbing and assault on women, in Sandeshkhali.

For the uninitiated, Sandeshkhali has been tense with a large number of women in the locality accusing TMC strongman Shahjahan Sheikh and his supporters of “land-grab and sexually assault” against women under coercion.

Sheikh, who had been absconding since January 5 when a mob attacked the ED officers during a raid at his residence in connection with an alleged ration scam, was arrested in the last week of February.

6 Women Meet President, Demand Deployment of Central Forces

Earlier, on Friday, six women from the violence-torn region met with President Droupadi Murmu and demanded that central security force personnel be deployed in the area for the protection of women. Addressing the media shortly after meeting the President, one of the women who had travelled with her toddler told news agency PTI that she fears for her life when she returns home. "I don't know what will happen when I return, we have been threatened that if we speak there will be repercussions," she had reportedly said in an emotional tone.

Another woman told PTI that they've sought deployment of central forces in Sandeshkhali to ensure their protection.

According to her, the President said that she is looking into the issue seriously.

The six women demanded justice in their memorandum to the President.

Meanwhile, social activist Parth Biswas called the situation in Sandeshkhali "very dire". "Sheikh Shahjahan's modus operandi was to grab land of the poor people, then inundate it with salt water so that the land turns infertile and then use it for pisciculture," Biswas, who also heads NGO Center for Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe Support and Research, had reportedly said.

Eleven women from Sandeshkhali had reached out to our organisation and six out of them had travelled to Delhi, PTI quoted Biswas as saying.