Two Arrested in Siliguri for Harassing Bihari Students Amidst Exam Controversy

The Bagdogra police arrested Rajat Bhattacharya and Giridhari Roy in Siliguri for allegedly threatening and harassing two Bihari students attending an exam. The incident, captured on video and condemned widely, shows miscreants questioning the students forcefully about their ability to speak Bengali.

Bagdogra police in Siliguri arrested two individuals on Thursday evening for allegedly threatening and harassing two young men from Bihar who had come to the city to attend an examination. The accused, identified as Rajat Bhattacharya and Giridhari Roy, are residents of Siliguri and reportedly linked to Bangla Pokkho, a pro-Bengali advocacy group.

The incident gained widespread attention after a video showing the harassment went viral on social media. In the footage, the youth are seen sleeping when a group of miscreants enter the room and aggressively question them about their knowledge of Bengali. Despite explanations from one student that they were assigned to the Siliguri exam center, the group, falsely claiming to be from the Intelligence Bureau, continued their aggressive interrogation.

Biswachand Thakur, Deputy Commissioner of Police in Siliguri, confirmed the arrests and announced an ongoing investigation. The attack has ignited criticism from the BJP, with Union Minister Giriraj Singh and Chirag Paswan condemning the incident and questioning the law and order situation in West Bengal. Paswan also urged Bihar's CM Nitish Kumar to ensure legal action against the culprits. (ANI)

(With inputs from agencies.)