BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari.
Credit: PTI File Photo
Kolkata: West Bengal Police on Tuesday refuted Leader of Opposition in State Assembly Suvendu Adhikari's claim that four student activists were "missing", saying that they were arrested for their alleged involvement in a conspiracy of murder and attempted murder case.
Without taking any name, the police said that the "missing" allegation was false and claimed that the four were reportedly planning to "orchestrate large-scale violence" during Tuesday's 'Nabanna Abhijan'.
Earlier in the day, the BJP leader alleged that four student activists of the saffron party, who were scheduled to arrive at the Howrah station, were missing from midnight.
"A certain political leader has been trying to create a false narrative about four students who have apparently been missing since last night. The truth is, nobody is missing. The four were planning to orchestrate large-scale violence during the Nabanna Abhijan today and were involved in a conspiracy of murder and attempted murder. They have been arrested in the interest of public safety and security, and their families have been informed," Bengal Police posted on X.
Later speaking to the media, Howrah Police Commissioner Praveen Kumar Tripathi said that the four were arrested under the BNSS clause 172 in 'Preventive Action of the Police' because they were involved in a conspiracy.
"They were arrested under preventive actions because they were conspiring," Tripathi said.
Expressing his apprehensions that the four students were arrested by the state police, Adhikari alleged that neither the four student activists were traced nor were they responding to the calls made to their mobile phones.
"The following student activists who were distributing food to the volunteers, who were arriving at Howrah Station, suddenly went missing after midnight. Neither they can be traced nor are they answering their phones. We apprehend that they may have been arrested/detained by the Mamata Police," Adhikari posted on X.
The Leader of Opposition cautioned that "if something happens to them (four student activists) Mamata Police will be held accountable".
The BJP leader later said that the families of the students moved the Calcutta High Court and were moving a case against the Bengal Police, particularly against Kolkata Police Commissioner Vineet Goyal, and Howrah CP Praveen Tripathi.
"Police had not informed the family. The family has already moved the Calcutta High Court and the lawyer will move the case mainly against Kolkata Police Commissioner Vineet Goyal, Howrah CP Praveen Tripathi. People (of Bengal) are seeing this," he said.
Adhikari also alleged that the Mamata Banerjee government has spent Rs 3-4 crores for security arrangements despite the rally was not organised by any political party.
"The Bengal government has spent Rs 3-4 crore to arrange everything. No political party was involved in this rally. All parties have said that. Despite that they (state government) have taken so much effort to make such an elaborate arrangement," he said.