Trinamool’s ‘energetic boy’ held for Mollah attack

11 days later 'Action only after Mamata nod'

Trinamool Congress strongman Arabul Islam, who has been accused of attacking former CPM minster Abdur Rezzak Mollah, was arrested from Parama Island on the EM Bypass on Thursday. He has been sent to four days in police custody. The arrest of the Bhangar strongman in South 24-Parganas comes 11 days after he and his men allegedly assaulted 70-year old CPM MLA and followed it with by torching a dozen vehicles carrying CPM cadres to a protest rally.

Top police officers as well as senior Trinamool ministers admitted that the arrest could not have been made without Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's nod. "Arabul was arrested because Didi (Mamata) wanted him to be arrested. Arabul was arrested as FIRs were lodged against him. Now, he has to prove that he is innocent," said senior minister in Mamata's cabinet Partha Chatterjee who within hours after the attack had praised Arabul by calling him as "an energetic boy" and an asset to the party.

"Police have done their work and Didi never wanted to influence the police administration. Didi is the home minister of the state. So it is clear that Arabul has been arrested as Didi wanted the law to take its own course," the minister added.

However, a defiant Arabul after being arrested warned of further tension in the area. "Bullets were fired at me by Sattar Mollah ( a local CPM leader). But police arrested me. After this incident, Trinamool men in Bhangar will decide whether there will be peace and calm in the area," Arabul told mediapersons outside Baruipur court which sent him in police remand till January 21. He has been charged under four non-bailable sections, including attempt to murder, two sections of Arms Act and under a section of Explosives Act. Justifying the delay in arrest, SP of South 24-Parganas Praveen Tripathi said: "We required time to collect evidence against him before making the arrest. There are other accused persons also and we are investigating into the matter."

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