A 10-member team of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) visited Sandeshkhali in North 24-Praganas district on Saturday again to probe alleged crimes against women and cases of land-grabbing in the island. The team, in two separate groups reached Sandeshkhali, one of the much-publicised political hotbeds in the state amidst the Lok Sabha (LS) elections. One group visited the local police station while the other went to Sundarikhali in the Sandeshkahli area under Bashirhat Lok Sabha constituency.

After a directive from Calcutta High Court (HC) the CBI started investigations into allegations of crimes against women and land-grabbing in Sandeshkhali, which had witnessed massive protests over these issues. The High Court directed the CBI to investigate the allegations and submit a comprehensive report. Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials were attacked on 5 January by a mob when they went to Sandeshkhali to search the Akunjipara residence of now-suspended Trinamul Congress strongman and Zilla Parishad member, Shajahan Sheikh in connection with the alleged ration distribution scam case. Shahjahan and his close associates like Uttam Sardar and Shibu Hazra have already been arrested. Sources in Sandeshkhali area said that the CBI has received several complaints in connection with atrocities against women and landgrabbing in Sandeshkhali in its newly created email address.

The HC had directed the investigating agency to set up the dedicated email ID so that people of Sandeshkhali can lodge complaints related to crimes against women and other issues like land-grabbing including of bheris. One team of the CBI spoke to locals in areas like Natunpara, Majherpara, Patrapara and other villages to verify the complaints already lodged through the portal. Locals demanded arrests of several more miscreants who are allegedly close to Shahjahan and involved in many crimes in the entire Sandeshkhali area.The CBI has already collected some inputs in connection with Sandeshkhali incidents from the police administrations in the district.

The CBI teams were escorted by adequate CISF personnel when the agency officials visited villages in Sandeshkhali today. On 5 January, ED officials were physically assaulted by a mob when the investigating went t raid Shahjahan’s residence.Shahjahan is accused of havingmasterminded the attack on the ED officials. The incident prompted the locals, including women folk, in Sandeshkhali to came out to organise strong protests against criminal activities and terror allegedly unleashed by Shahjahan and his accomplices for years in the area.