The Bagdogra police on Friday, operating under the Siliguri Police Commissionerate, arrested 2 individuals for allegedly threatening and harassing 2 young men who traveled from Bihar to Siliguri to take an exam.
Accused Identified
The accused, Rajat Bhattacharya and Giridhari Roy, are residents of Siliguri, West Bengal, and are reportedly associated with Bangla Pokkho, a pro-Bengali advocacy organization.
Details of the Incident
The situation escalated after a video of the harassment went viral on social media, drawing widespread condemnation. The video depicts the two students asleep in a room when a group of individuals entered and questioned them about their understanding of Bengali. When one student indicated he didn’t understand the language, the group reacted aggressively, asserting that they should not be taking exams outside their home state.
Despite attempts by one of the students to explain their presence at the Siliguri exam center, the group demanded to see identification documents and falsely claimed to be from the Intelligence Bureau, continuing their harassment.
Police Response
Biswachand Thakur, Deputy Commissioner of Police for Siliguri, confirmed that the Bagdogra police arrested the two accused on Thursday evening following a complaint. Thakur stated, “On the basis of a complaint, two persons were arrested for threatening and harassing the youths, claiming to be police officers. Further investigation is underway.”
Political Reactions
The incident has sparked significant political backlash. Members of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) expressed concerns regarding the law and order situation in West Bengal under Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. Union Minister Giriraj Singh criticized the state government, stating, “Red carpet for Rohingya Muslims in Bengal and Bihari kids beaten up for taking exams? Are these children not part of India?”
Union Minister Chirag Paswan also condemned the incident, stating, “The news of the brutal assault on Bihari students in West Bengal is very unfortunate. I ask Mamata Banerjee if taking an exam in West Bengal is now a crime.” He called for an investigation and legal action against the perpetrators, urging Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to address the matter.
Paswan concluded by questioning the support of the Bihar opposition for the Trinamool Congress in light of the incident, demanding accountability and action.
