Kolkata, July 11 (IANS) Former Trinamool Congress councillor of Ward 129 of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC), Anjan Das, and his associate, Bhola Sarkar, have been arrested on charges of kicking a pregnant woman in the stomach, threatening to kill her and subjecting her to torture, police said on Saturday.

According to the police, the complainant, Vijaya Ghosh, alleged that in 2020, her family was attacked and threatened several times due to political hostility because she was a BJP supporter. She claimed that Anjan Das kicked her in the stomach while she was pregnant. She further alleged that he threatened to kill her family members by visiting their house.

She further claimed that, following the incident, her entire family suffered severe mental trauma. Unable to bear the stress, her father-in-law allegedly attempted suicide. After the change of government in the state, the complainant recently lodged a written complaint at Parnasree Police Station. Based on the complaint, police launched an investigation and arrested former Trinamool councillor Anjan Das and his associate, Bhola Sarkar, on Saturday.

Following the arrests, tension flared when Anjan Das was taken to Vidyasagar Hospital for a medical examination. Allegedly, outside the hospital, local residents as well as BJP workers and supporters surrounded the police vehicle and raised slogans of “Chor Chor” (thief). Although the situation became tense, personnel from Parnasree Police Station intervened promptly and brought it under control.

The complainant demanded strict and exemplary punishment for the accused to ensure that such incidents are not repeated in the future.

With these arrests, over a dozen former Trinamool councillors of the KMC have been arrested on various charges, including extortion, criminal intimidation and molestation, since the change of government in the state. Not only in the KMC area, but Trinamool Congress councillors and leaders have also been arrested by the police on similar charges across the state.

–IANS

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