Roopa Ganguly arrested after nightlong protest in Kolkata

Kolkata: Former Rajya Sabha member and actress-turned-politician Roopa Ganguly was arrested on Thursday after her night-long sit-in demonstration in front of a police station in South Kolkata demanding the release of local woman BJP leader Rubi Das.

Das was among the BJP supporters arrested on Wednesday evening, as they were protesting against the death of a local schoolboy on the same morning in the locality. The boy died after being hit by a payloader that was being used by the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) staff for road repair purposes.

Soon after that Ganguly reached the local Bansdroni Police Station in South Kolkata and started a sit-in demonstration there demanding the release of Das.

Ganguly claimed that Das and other BJP supporters were organising a peaceful protest against the accident when they were attacked by the local Trinamool Congress activists. She also alleged that the police instead of taking action against the attackers arrested the demonstrators.

Ganguly continued with the sit-in-protest for the entire night and finally, a little after 10 a.m. on Thursday, Kolkata Police declared her arrested. Soon she was taken away from the Bansdroni Police Station complex by a police vehicle.

After the arrest, the actress-turned-politician claimed that the cops even did not allow her to take her bag along with her while being taken away.

City police officials claimed that she had been arrested on charges of deterring on-duty police officials from discharging their lawful duties. Meanwhile, the grievances of the local people have continued over the unfortunate death of the schoolboy over the continued absence of the local Trinamool Congress councillor Anita Kar Majumdar even hours after the mishap.

Ganguly became popular among millions of Indians after her iconic role as ‘Draupadi’ in the famous ‘Mahabharat’ television serial. Later she joined the BJP and also became a Rajya Sabha member.

IANS