In just 48 hours since November 18, the West Bengal government has arrested at least 40 people from across the state along with arms.
The arrests are a part of a larger crackdown on people with criminal antecedents which saw the arrest of 1,120 accused, including 342 wanted criminals, since November 18. The arrests spread across several districts, including Baruipur, Diamond Harbour, Basirhat, Bangaon, Barrackpore, Howrah, Chandannagar, and Birbhum.
According to a police officer, 74 illegal firearms, 73 cartridges, and 15 bombs were seized during the special operation.
The police have seized narcotic substances too, including 31,789 kg of cannabis, 97 kg of heroin, and 42.63 kg of brown sugar.
The crackdown comes in the backdrop of a recent attempt on the life of Trinamool Congress (TMC) councillor Sushanta Ghosh which led to several party leaders raising concerns about the rising crime rate in the state.
State minister and Kolkata Mayor Firhad Hakim condemned the incident and linked it to the “culture of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar”. However, he emphasized that preventing crime is the primary responsibility of the police, not the elected representatives.
Meanwhile, TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh acknowledged the police’s “efforts” but stressed the need for heightened vigilance to prevent future incidents.
