Tension gripped West Bengal's Purulia town following a dramatic confrontation between a BJP worker and a party MLA amid a crackdown on illegal sand mining. Police have arrested 19 individuals allegedly involved in illegal sand extraction from the region's riverbeds.
According to police sources, the arrests were made after a late-night operation on Wednesday, during which two overloaded tractors carrying illegally mined sand were intercepted in Purulia town. BJP worker Suraj Sharma reportedly led the protest against the vehicles, alleging rampant illegal sand trade under police and political protection.
However, the situation escalated when Sharma got into a heated altercation with Purulia BJP MLA Sudip Mukherjee at the local police station. Eyewitnesses claimed that the argument turned physical, and a video showing the clash between the two went viral on social media, sparking widespread reactions within the party and among locals.
Following the confrontation, police launched an intensified drive against illegal sand mining in the area and detained 19 accused sand traders. All the arrested individuals were produced before the Purulia District Court on Friday.
Sources said the incident has exposed growing internal rifts within the BJP's local unit in Purulia. Senior party leaders are expected to intervene to resolve the dispute and maintain unity ahead of the upcoming assembly elections.
