Kolkata: Rabindranath Bhattacharya, a lawyer and leader of the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC), was arrested on February 8 after an FIR accused him of fatally assaulting 81-year-old Tulsi Adhikari in Barrackpore, North 24 Parganas district of West Bengal. Produced before a Barrackpore court the next day, he was charged with murder under Section 101 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). His bail plea was rejected, and he was remanded to seven days of police custody. Authorities said investigations are ongoing and the autopsy report is awaited to determine the exact cause of death.
Illegal Construction Clash
The incident reportedly stemmed from protests over an alleged illegal three-storey construction near Adhikari’s home in Manirampur, close to Bally Ghat. Locals said tensions escalated during a demonstration on 7 February when a confrontation turned violent. According to the victim’s family, Adhikari intervened when his son Hemant was allegedly attacked, after which Bhattacharya allegedly kicked the elderly man, causing him to fall. Adhikari was later declared dead at Barrackpore Cantonment Hospital.
Police have sealed the area, are reviewing CCTV footage, and recording statements from neighbours and witnesses while also probing the role of local leaders in the disputed construction. The Adhikari family had earlier complained about the unauthorised structure and later filed a formal complaint with the municipality.
Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) staged protests demanding strict action and alleging that the accused received “VIP treatment” in custody. BJP workers, led by former MP Arjun Singh and district president Tapas Ghosh, marched from Mahatma Gandhi’s statue at Chiria More to the Barrackpore court.
Protesters breached police barricades, held a sit-in, and briefly blocked traffic, leading to minor clashes with police. Singh said the agitation was temporarily paused to avoid disrupting Madhyamik examinations, but warned that a larger protest movement would be launched if justice is not delivered.
