Will visit Sandeshkhali; meet local people: West Bengal BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari says amid protests

Kolkata: Senior BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari on Thursday said he will march to Sandeshkhali, which has been witnessing protests over alleged atrocities on villagers by TMC leaders.

His scheduled visit to Sandeshkhali in North 24 Parganas district came a day after West Bengal BJP president, Sukanta Majumdar was injured after being 'pushed' by a woman and fell onto a car's bonnet while addressing a protest programme in Taki.

"As I have announced on Monday that on February 15, I will head to Sandeshkhali block to meet the locals. The police should not try to stop me", the Leader of Opposition in West Bengal Assembly told reporters here.

A huge police contingent has been deployed in and around the Sandeshkhali area to stop the BJP and other opposition activists from entering the area.

A delegation of the National Commission for Scheduled Castes is also scheduled to visit the area this afternoon.

Protests persisted in Sandeshkhali for the seventh consecutive day on Wednesday, with a significant number of women taking to the streets, demanding the arrest of TMC leader Sheikh Shajahan.

The accusations against Shajahan and his aides include forcefully capturing land and sexually harassing women.

Shajahan, wanted since a mob attacked Enforcement Directorate (ED) officers during a raid at his residence in an alleged ration scam, has been absconding since last month.