Tensions Rise as BJP Delegation Blocked in West Bengal's Malda

A BJP delegation, led by Union minister Sukanta Majumdar, was stopped by police from visiting Mothabari in West Bengal's Malda district after recent communal clashes. The delegation's road blockade was dispersed with water cannons, amid accusations of police bias and internet suspensions in the area.

A BJP delegation spearheaded by Union minister Sukanta Majumdar was barred by police from proceeding to the communal clash-stricken Mothabari in West Bengal's Malda district. The stoppage occurred about 3 kilometers short of their destination at English Bazar, triggering tensions.

The police cited safety concerns, noting that while the situation had normalized since the Thursday clashes, caution was necessary. However, the delegation, joined by BJP MP Khagen Murmu, resorted to a brief road blockade in protest, intensifying the standoff with law enforcement.

The confrontation escalated when BJP activists, after breaching the first checkpoint at Sadullapur, faced police intervention. Officers employed water cannons to quell disruptions, as activists attempted to dismantle the second barricade. Accusations of political bias resurfaced, with Majumdar contending that the police acted more as TMC cadres than impartial enforcers.

(With inputs from agencies.)