A day after video clips of a Kali idol being shoved into a prison van in West Bengal's South 24 Parganas district went viral, the police defended their action, saying it was to save the dignity of the goddess.
Sporadic violence was reported in Kakdip near Sundarbans after the idol was found desecrated in a temple on October 22, around 5.30 pm. West Bengal marked Kali Puja on October 20.
While outlining the sequence of events, Superintendent of Police (SP), Sunderban Police District, Koteswara Rao, said that while the police were speaking to the puja committee members, some people from neighbouring villages gathered at the spot and took the idol to the national highway.
"There was a road blockade, and several ambulances were stuck on the road. When we requested them to clear the road, they started throwing stones. To protect the purity, sanctity, and dignity was the top priority. The only available vehicle at the scene was a police van because traffic was blocked on both sides of the road," said SP Koteswara Rao.
The police also confirmed the arrest of one accused after gathering technical evidence, intel and source-based inputs. "Narayan Haldar, son of Bhupati Haldar, was arrested after we conducted raids. He was brought to the police station and after marathon questioning, he confessed he desecrated the idol in an inebriated state," said the SP. The police are also investigating whether any other persons were also involved in this crime.
Even though the police claimed the accused had no political links, the incident has created a political firestorm.
Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari and senior BJP leaders shared the video of the idol being taken away in a police van and said, "Look, my Fellow Bengalis! See how our Maa Kali is being forcefully pushed into a Police Van where they transport common criminals! What else is left of our culture? Mamata has converted this land of Shakti into a Jihadi hellscape!"
Trinamool Congress spokesperson Kunal Ghosh said, "Distorted politics is being played out, but the police have made it very clear, and action has been taken."
