Political Tensions Flare in West Bengal Amid Preventive Arrest

Union Minister Sukanta Majumdar was arrested in West Bengal to prevent potential unrest amid community clashes in Beldanga. His arrest was under Section 170 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) as he attempted to visit a violence-affected area under prohibitory orders.

Union Minister and BJP's state president, Sukanta Majumdar, faced preventive arrest on Wednesday en route to Beldanga in Murshidabad, a region marred by recent violence. His detention came under Section 170 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), a measure to avert cognisable offences as prohibitory orders were active.

Majumdar's arrest sparked protests from BJP supporters across the state, challenging the police's stance that his presence could exacerbate the situation in Beldanga, where recent communal clashes injured 17 people following a provocative message displayed at a local religious site.

The police halted Majumdar's convoy near Krishnanagar, citing the active prohibitory orders. Despite the sit-in by Majumdar and his demand for police escort to local authorities, the blockade remained, underscoring the heightened political tensions in the region.

(With inputs from agencies.)