Fresh protests over thievery of construction materials marred Sandeshkhali on Wednesday

A village in Sandeshkhali block II witnessed protests on Wednesday over allegations of theft of construction materials against the village head in collusion with a contractor.

 

The villagers gheraoed the village chief and the contractor alleging that they were stealing the materials like bricks meant for a development project, sources said.

 

A police team pacified the protesters and brought the situation under control at Durga Mandap village, an official said.

 

Several villages in Sandeshkhali block II witnessed continued protests over alleged sexual atrocities on women and land grabbing, but the Durga Mandap area had been relatively peaceful then.

 

A number of ruling TMC leaders in the area, including the alleged kingpin Shajahan Sheikh and his associates Shibu Hazra and Uttam Sardar are behind bars at present over various charges.

 

Sheikh is in CBI custody in connection with a mob attack on Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials when they went to search his premises at a village in Sandeshkhali block I on January 5.