Former BJP MP Roopa Ganguly was arrested on Thursday morning after staging an overnight sit-in at Bansdroni police station. Around 10 a.m., the police informed Ganguly of her arrest, following which she was transported to Lalbazar. Ganguly, who was escorted by female officers, claimed that her belongings were left behind at the station and that she wasn’t allowed to use the washroom.
West Bengal BJP spokesperson and Rajya Sabha MP Shamik Bhattacharya explained that Ganguly was protesting the tragic death of a student in Bansdroni, who was struck by a JCB bulldozer during road repairs. Bhattacharya accused the ruling Trinamool Congress of being intolerant of dissent, suggesting that this was the reason behind her arrest.
The incident that sparked the protest occurred on Wednesday morning when a class IX student on her way to a coaching center was fatally injured by a JCB near ongoing roadwork. The student’s death triggered protests, with residents criticizing local Ward 113 councilor Anita Kar Majumdar for being absent since the tragedy. Authorities, including the officer-in-charge of Patuli police station and Kolkata Police Assistant Commissioner Pradeep Ghoshal, faced public backlash.
Ganguly, who gained fame for her portrayal of Draupadi in the classic TV series Mahabharat, had vowed to continue her protest until the responsible parties were arrested. On Thursday morning, she reportedly confronted the police inside the station.