Sandeshkhali Row: Criminals Calling Shots in Parts of Bengal, This Has To End, Says Ananda Bose

On Thursday, West Bengal Governor C V Ananda Bose welcomed the apprehension of TMC leader Shahjahan Sheikh in connection with the Sandeshkhali case. He emphasized the urgency of taking action against criminals who hold sway in certain areas of Bengal and asserted that it is time to bring them to justice. The absconding TMC leader, Shajahan Sheikh, was taken into custody during the early hours of Thursday from a residence in Minakhan, located approximately 30 km from the island of Sandeshkhali.

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 here. Bose maintained that the Sandeshkhali incident is only the tip of an iceberg, suggesting there is much more to it than what meets the eye. 

Shahjahan Sheikh was arrested around midnight in the North 24 Parganas district by a special Bengal police team. He had been on the run for 55 days. After the arrest, he was taken to the Basirhat court.The team had been monitoring the leader's activities for several days leading up to the arrest, officials said.

Sandeshkhali in West Bengal's North 24 Parganas district has been witnessing widespread protests against the Trinamool Congress strongman Shahjahan Sheikh this month as a section of women are seeking justice against alleged atrocities committed by the TMC leader.

A large number of women in Sandeshkhali had accused Trinamool Congress strongman Shajahan Sheikh and his supporters of "land-grab and sexual assault" under coercion. The leader who had been on the run since January 5, has been previously embroiled in several criminal cases, including the murder of 3 BJP workers in 2019.