A video purportedly showing a Trinamool Congress leader assaulting a young man in Burdwan town, West Bengal, has gone viral on social media.
The person accused in the video has been identified as Sheikh Kaloo, a local Trinamool Congress leader from Ward 26 of Burdwan Municipality. The alleged victim is Amit Roy, a resident of the area.
In the clip, Roy appears to be pleading for mercy while Kaloo is seen hitting him with several objects, including the blunt side of a sword. The authenticity of the video has not been independently verified by IANS.
The Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, shared the video on social media, claiming that such incidents at so-called “Kangaroo Courts” have become common in the state.
“There is no rule of law; the rule of the ruling party continues unchecked,” Adhikari said. He called on authorities to take appropriate action against those allegedly taking the law into their own hands. “If such practices continue, West Bengal could witness a level of lawlessness reminiscent of past tyrannies,” he added.
Adhikari also referenced a similar incident in June last year in Chopra, North Dinajpur district, where a local Trinamool leader, Tejemul Islam (a.k.a. JCB), was seen assaulting a woman and a youth over allegations of an extramarital affair. He further cited incidents in Rajarhat-Bishnupur (North 24 Parganas) and Harishchandrapur (Malda district) to illustrate what he described as recurring “excesses” by party leaders at such informal arbitration meetings.
No official response from the Trinamool Congress or law enforcement authorities has been reported so far regarding the latest video.