BJP's LS Candidate Stages Road Blockade in Kolkata Over Detention of Party Workers

Kolkata: BJP activists led by Kolkata Dakshin Lok Sabha seat candidate Debasree Chaudhury blocked the arterial Dhakuria Bridge in south Kolkata for around 30 minutes on Friday night demanding the release of party workers who were detained earlier in the day.

Choudhury sat in the middle of the bridge protesting the detention of five BJP activists, including a mandal president, by the police.

The protest disrupted traffic movement along the busy SC Mallick Road.

An officer of Kolkata Police said the five persons were detained on the charge of preventing Election Commission officials from carrying out their duty of removing BJP flags illegally put up at a property in Dhakuria area without the consent of the owner.

Accusing the police of working at the behest of TMC, Choudhury told reporters that the five were illegally detained and no arrest memo was produced.

Chowdhury was taken to the Lake police station along with around 15 party activists around 10.15 pm amid sloganeering by BJP activists.

BJP IT cell chief Amit Malviya posted on X: "Today, Kolkata Police, on instructions of Mamata Banerjee, wrongly arrested senior office bearers of BJP's South Kolkata organisational district and took them to Lake police station." "The Police didn't have any legal ground to arrest. Trinamool workers, who had gathered outside, attacked BJP workers, but corrupt Kolkata Police arrested our members! Now, the BJP led by Debasree Chaudhury, BJP's candidate from Kolkata South, has blocked Dhakuria Bridge. Unless Mamata Banerjee, ensures release of BJP workers, the blockade will continue," he said when the blockade started.

"This highhandedness of Mamata Banerjee won't be tolerated. She alone is responsible for the situation in Kolkata," he said.