Roopa Ganguly Arrested in Kolkata: Protest, Tragic Accident, and Legal Consequences
Roopa Ganguly, once one of the most popular faces on the small screen for the television series Mahabharat who enacted the role of Draupadi, was arrested today by the Kolkata Police when she was actively participating in a protest demonstration outside the Bansdroni Police Station. The protest had been called by locals in protest at the untimely death of a 14-year-old school boy who was knocked down by a working excavator in the locality. The incident has stirred up the minds of the locality residents, and protests and agitation followed, along with scuffles with the police. Ganguly’s arrest has gained significant media coverage that speaks both of tragic accident and court proceedings thereafter.
Tragic Accident at Bansdroni
The accident which led to the protest was a tragic accident on Wednesday, October 2, 2024, wherein one schoolboy was killed at Bansdroni. This accident entails a 14-year-boy who is on his way to tuition when he gets hit by an excavator, commonly referred to in the street as a payloader. It was said to be in training and not under a professional driver during the accident. Locals claim people operating the vehicle were drunk and connected with a local political leader.
Roopa Ganguly, in a statement issued immediately after her arrest, seemed to echo the same. According to her, the driver of the machine was one whom people knew as one of the regular toters of local ward councillor from the TMC. Further adding that the locals had been complaining against the reckless driving by those working on the machinery for quite a while and this tragic death is a direct fallout of that same negligence.
Roopa Ganguly Protest and Arrest
The local community had announced a protest demanding justice for the deceased schoolboy, right after the accident. The protest at the Bansdroni police station, reportedly saw great attendance from people from the local as well as nearby areas. Roopa Ganguly, the former Rajya Sabha MP and well-known political activist, was seen participating in the protest. Kolkata police commissioner Manoj Kumar Verma said that Ganguly’s protest started off peacefully. However, it went sour when she insisted on unconditionally releasing some of those detained because they allegedly manhandled policemen during previous protests.
Commissioner Verma explained to the press that the police had informed Ganguly and other protesting doctors that legal proceedings were underway and that if any of them had grievances over these arrests, they should address such through the courts. However, Ganguly refused to leave the police station and continued her protest as the standoff within law enforcement continued with several doctors being arrested.
Despite having received numerous requests to Ganguly to vacate the premises, she did not move out; on these grounds, the police charged her with obstructing their operations. Against her, a case was registered, and she was arrested. She was produced at Lalbazar under Kolkata Police Headquarters after her arrest; hence, she was also produced in court.
The Response from Kolkata Police
Kolkata police commissioner Manoj Kumar Verma also stated, while releasing a statement to ANI on the case: “It’s been alleged that five people have already been arrested pertaining to the death of the schoolboy. The probe has led to the lodging of multiple cases.”. As Verma describes, Ganguly’s arrest was not related to the protest at all but due to not following police instructions, causing hindrance to the efficient run of the police station.
Verma also spoke about the current situation surrounding the tragic accident which, he said, has become a law and order situation in Bansdroni. According to him, both the accident and its aftermath protests were being dealt with properly by the law enforcing machinery, that is the police. He further said that those who killed the boy were being treated accordingly.
Roopa Ganguly on the Arrest
Roopa Ganguly, who herself has always been vocal, addressed the media regarding the arrest. Speaking with ANI she described her deep sorrow with regard to the accident and simultaneously criticized the local authorities for their failure to prevent the accident. According to Ganguly, it has been found that the car was being driven by someone other than its licensed driver, and also that the individuals responsible were intoxicated.
Ganguly further accused that the four handling the payloader had connections with the local TMC ward councillor. The question she raised is why they could not be arrested immediately. According to her, demonstrating in the police station was essential for seeking justice to the dead boy and for stern accountability measures. Arresting Ganguly has only revitalized the political and social debate over the incident in question. People have also started demanding police along with local administrative action.
Public and Political Reactions
Roopa Ganguly’s arrest has seen reactions across the political lines as numerous leaders have expressed their serious concerns regarding the situation. Former Rajya Sabha MP and prominent face of entertainment industry now through Roopa Ganguly drew at the attention of the entire affair state-wise and nationally.
Many from the Telugu film world and the political circles have come out against the arrest, demanding that Ganguly be released and that the protest is but an expression of public outrage over this tragic accident. Others criticized the police for what they termed was zealous repression of the protest.
Contrastingly, a few political personalities have appealed for restraint on both protesters’ and police side, to remain formal in the process so that justice could be delivered. The incident has brought to the fore yet again the issue of safety and accountability in public structures, especially in that concretely crowded urban section like that of Bansdroni.
Conclusion: A Catastrophic Accident and Aftermath
The killing of a young schoolboy in Bansdroni has stirred public outrage as well as political fallout. While Roopa Ganguly was there raising her voice during the protest and eventually arrested, the whole thing brought the local community out in the open, demanding justice. The legal process is rolling, but the accident serves to remember how safety regulations and accountability are critically important for preventing such tragic accidents.
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