The West Bengal police are facing flak after a video emerged of them shoving a desecrated idol of Goddess Kali into a police van on Wednesday. One person has been arrested over the desecration of Goddess Kali’s idol in the Kakdip area of Sunderbans in the North 24 Parganas district of West Bengal.
The West Bengal Police apprehended 28-year-old Narayan Halder, who confessed to damaging the idol in a temple in Uttar Chadranagar village, while he was in an inebriated state. The police said they reached the spot soon after receiving information of a disturbance in the area around 5:30 am on Wednesday. According to the police, villagers said they intended to file a police complaint after the idol immersion, post Kali puja celebrations on Monday.
Chaos ensued after a group of outsiders, including people from the neighbouring village, blocked the roads. Despite police trying to reason with the agitators, the road blockade continued, with ambulances and other vehicles stranded. Stones were pelted when the police tried to disperse the crowds, leading to the police securing the idol inside the police van.
Two cases were registered for road blockade and vandalism against miscreants involved in spreading misinformation. Police are examining the CCTV footage of the area, though no arrests have been made so far in the road blockade case.
The incident has taken a political turn with the BJP alleging that police snatched the idol from an agitated Hindu crowd and dumped it disrespectfully while lathicharging devotees. “Would they ever dare do the same with a tazia during Muharram? This selective handiness exposes their anti-Hindu mindset,” posted Bharatiya Janata Party(BJP) leader Amit Malviya. He alleged that West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and her police have crossed all limits of brazenness.
BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari too registered his protest. “Look at my fellow Bengalis! See how our Maa Kali is being forcefully pushed into a police van where they transport common criminals. What else is left of our culture? Mamata has converted this land of Shakti into a Jihadi hellscape.”
Trinamool Congress (TMC) defended the incident, stating the incident was unfortunate. “The BJP is trying to make it a political issue. The accused is part of the BJP Yuva Morcha. The real question is whether he was really in an inebriated state, or was he tutored by the BJP to do this so that they could indulge in politics over Maa Kali. The police have done a good job by apprehending the accused, who confessed to the crime,” TMC leader Kunal Ghosh said.
