Kolkata, 24 September (H.S.) : Aam Janta Unnayan Party president and Naoda MLA Humayun Kabir initiated a sit-in demonstration outside the Rejinagar police station on Thursday morning, accusing the police of framing his party workers in false cases and intimidating voters. Without prior notice, the legislator arrived with a chair and began his protest outside the premises at around 10:30 am.

According to sources, Rejinagar police arrested Saiful Islam, a member of the Rampara-1 gram panchayat and a known close aide to Kabir, on Wednesday night. Following this arrest, the MLA immediately decided to stage a protest. Kabir claims that currently, about 15 leaders of his party are incarcerated under fabricated charges orchestrated by the local police.

Speaking from the protest site, the MLA leveled serious allegations against the police administration, asserting that officers from the Rejinagar, Shaktipur, and Beldanga police stations are conspiring to loot votes during the upcoming October 6 by-elections under the instructions of the BJP. He claimed that police personnel are visiting Muslim households, threatening families, and pressuring them to leave their homes until the voting concludes.

Demanding strict action from the Election Commission, Kabir stated that he has repeatedly requested the immediate removal of the officers-in-charge of the Rejinagar, Shaktipur, and Beldanga police stations to ensure peaceful and fair elections in the region. He alleged that the police are openly threatening people against supporting the Aam Janta Unnayan Party, actively discouraging them and suggesting they align with 'Ritabrata Trinamool', 'Mamata Trinamool', or any other party instead.

The MLA clarified that his protest would continue until 1 pm and resume later in the evening. He also specified that he is not involving any party workers in this demonstration to prevent them from being targeted by the authorities. Issuing an open challenge, Kabir said the police are free to arrest him or register a case against him if they wish.

Notably, on September 12, Kabir had staged a 17-hour-long sit-in outside the Shaktipur police station. During that protest, he had similarly accused the police of committing grave injustices against his supporters, spending the entire night sitting on a chair placed over a plastic sheet spread on cow dung. The MLA has issued a stern warning that he will not allow the police to succeed in their alleged plans to rig the by-elections at any cost, vowing to continue his solitary protest against this injustice as long as he has the strength.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Satya Prakash Singh