In a significant development, the prime accused in the violent attack on a police team in Sandeshkhali, West Bengal, has been apprehended. Musa Mollah, a local Trinamool Congress (TMC) worker, was arrested on Tuesday, January 6, 2026, four days after the assault that left six policemen injured.
The Arrest and Escalating Case
Mollah was taken into custody under the jurisdiction of the Nazat police station. This arrest brings the total number of individuals held in connection with the case to 13. A senior police official confirmed that Mollah would be presented before the Basirhat sub-divisional court, where authorities will seek his police custody for further interrogation.
Sequence of Events Leading to Violence
The incident traces back to a dispute over illegally occupied land in the Sandeshkhali area of North 24 Parganas district. Mollah is accused of unlawfully occupying the land, prompting the Basirhat court to impose Section 144 on the property. Defying the order, Mollah allegedly began filling the farmland with salt water.
After he ignored official notices, a team from the Nazat police station visited his house in Boyarmari. When officers asked him to accompany them to the station, Mollah reportedly called his followers. The situation quickly turned violent. The group stopped the police vehicle, vandalised it, assaulted the personnel, and helped Mollah escape. Additional police from the Rajbari outpost who arrived at the scene were also attacked.
Broader Context and Past Incidents
This attack is not an isolated event in Sandeshkhali. The area has witnessed previous assaults on law enforcement officials. Notably, in January 2024, a team from the Enforcement Directorate (ED) was attacked when they visited the residence of suspended TMC leader Shahjahan Sheikh, to whom Musa Mollah is allegedly close.
Following last week's violence, a large police force has been deployed in Sandeshkhali to prevent further unrest and maintain order. The arrest of the prime accused marks a critical step in the investigation, but it highlights the ongoing challenges of land disputes and political tensions in the region.
