Two BJP leaders arrested after night‑time protest in Kolkata suburbs

In the early hours of Monday, law enforcement arrested two local Bharatiya Janata Party leaders following a protest outside the Rahda police station in the outskirts of Kolkata. The demonstration was triggered by a scuffle between rival BJP factions over alleged "rangdari" charges levied at a fish farming unit in the Khardaha industrial area.

Police statements confirm that three party workers suffered injuries during the fight, which escalated into a public brawl and saw the use of a small explosive device near a health centre. The arrested leaders—Indranil Kumar Das and Himadri Sikdar—are accused of fostering the violence and leading the subsequent protest against police action.

Das, who previously served as an election agent for a senior state minister, alleged that Sikdar was extracting money from the fish farm on a monthly basis, a claim that sparked a heated debate between the two camps. Sikdar's supporters, in turn, accused Das of fabricating the allegation to undermine Sikdar's standing within the party.

The incident underscores the growing internecine tension within the BJP as it navigates its first months in power in West Bengal. Officials have pledged a thorough investigation to determine responsibility for the bomb‑throwing incident and to address the broader issue of intra‑party rivalry.