Instigator in Tikiapara case arrested, has connection with BJP leader: Howrah Police

Following the arrest of a person who was found instigating people to attack police at Tikiapara on April 28, the Howrah Police have claimed that the former has a direct connection with a BJP leader while the Howrah minority cell chief Zulfiqar Ahmed claimed that this is a baseless and politically-motivated allegation.

Howrah (West Bengal): The police claimed to have arrested the younger brother of a "BJP member" on Monday for his alleged role in the assault of the security personnel who were enforcing lockdown in West Bengal's Howrah district last week.

Howrah minority cell chief Zulfiqar Ahmed said the arrested person was no way related to any BJP leader in the district, and termed the allegations as "baseless and politically motivated".

The Howrah City Police shared a video on Twitter of a person instigating people to attack police at Tikiapara on April 28.

"In Tikiapara incident, 14 persons including one who was seen in the video jumping & hitting a police officer have been arrested," it said.

"The main instigator, who provoked people just before the incident, has also been arrested. He is a younger brother of a member of Howrah district BJP Minority Cell," the Howrah City Police tweeted.

Ahmed said the arrested person was neither a BJP worker nor related to any leader of the saffron party. "This is a baseless and politically-motivated allegation," he added.

State Parliamentary Affairs Minister Partha Chatterjee claimed that the arrest proved that the BJP was trying to incite violence in the state and malign the TMC government.

"They (BJP) will get exposed whenever they try such tricks," Chatterjee said.

Fourteen people have been arrested so far in connection with the incident, in which two policemen were injured after a mob attacked a team enforcing lockdown at Tikiapara.

Meanwhile, a video emerged on social media and the police took out peace rally in the area. The police, however, declined to comment on the matter.

On their Twitter handle, the Howrah Police shared another video where people were seen throwing petals on a patrolling party from roofs to express their gratitude.

(PTI report)