In a dramatic late-night confrontation, West Bengal's Leader of the Opposition, Suvendu Adhikari, forcefully entered the Nandigram Police Station on Friday, levelling serious allegations of police brutality against a local BJP worker's family. The incident has escalated political tensions in the Purba Medinipur district, with the BJP and the ruling Trinamool Congress trading sharp accusations.
Midnight Raid Sparks Political Firestorm
The controversy stems from a police operation conducted at the home of a BJP activist in Jelemara village, located within the Vekutia gram panchayat area of Nandigram block-1. The Bharatiya Janata Party has claimed that the raid was executed without prior notice or a warrant. According to BJP accounts, during this midnight action, the wife of the party worker was assaulted, and her minor child was also allegedly thrown and beaten by the police personnel involved.
This prompted Suvendu Adhikari, who is also the local MLA for the area, to march into the Nandigram Police Station after nightfall on Friday. Videos from the scene show an agitated Adhikari confronting officers on duty. He was heard demanding answers, asking, "Who is the duty officer here? Who went to this woman's house? Who beat her and threw her child? I am the local MLA and I want to know which 'mastan' (goon) went there." His protest inside the police station has brought the incident into the political spotlight.
Contradictory Narratives from Police and TMC
The police administration has firmly refuted the allegations of misconduct. Mithun Kumar Dey, the Acting SP of Purba Medinipur, stated that the raid was conducted by the book. "The raid conducted yesterday in Nandigram adhered to all prescribed rules and regulations. An adequate number of female personnel were present on site. Police did not break down any doors to gain entry," Dey asserted, countering the BJP's version of events.
Adding another layer to the conflict, local Trinamool Congress leader Bappaditya Garga provided a different origin story for the tension. He claimed that trouble began a day earlier, on Thursday, during the inauguration of a fleet of e-rickshaws decorated with posters highlighting the state government's development work, termed 'Unnayaner Panchali'. Garga alleged that BJP activists vandalised these vehicles and tore down the posters.
"Trinamool lodged a formal complaint at Nandigram Police Station regarding the vandalism," Garga said. He further revealed that police arrested the brother of a BJP mandal president 24 hours later in connection with this case, suggesting the subsequent raid was part of this investigation.
Escalating Tensions in a Politically Sensitive Zone
The incident underscores the ongoing and volatile political rivalry in Nandigram, a region with significant symbolic value in West Bengal's political landscape. The direct involvement of a high-profile leader like Suvendu Adhikari ensures the matter will remain a major point of contention. While the BJP cries foul over police high-handedness targeting its workers, the Trinamool Congress and police frame the action as a lawful response to prior vandalism. The conflicting narratives leave the public grappling with two starkly different accounts of the same series of events, with no immediate resolution in sight.
