Two arrested for assault on Bihar youths who had gone to Siliguri for exam; video sparks row

SILIGURI (West Bengal): The Bagdogra police, under Siliguri police commissionerate, on Thursday arrested two people for allegedly threatening and harassing two young men who came to Siliguri from Bihar to attend an exam.

The accused have been identified as Rajat Bhattacharya and Giridhari Roy, residents of West Bengal’s Siliguri. They are known to be linked to Bangla Pokkho, a pro-Bengali advocacy organisation. The incident came to light after video of the youth went viral on social media, gaining widespread condemnation.

In the video that has gone viral, the youth can be seen sleeping in a room when a group of miscreants enter and asked them whether they could understand Bengali. When one student replied that they couldn’t, the miscreants began questioning them aggressively, claiming they shouldn’t be taking exams in other states.

बंगाल में रोहिंग्या मुसलमान के लिए रेड कारपेट और परीक्षा देने गए बिहार के बच्चे के साथ मारपीट ?
क्या ये बच्चे हिंदुस्तान के अंग नहीं?
क्या ममता सरकार ने सिर्फ बलात्कारियों को बचाने का ठेका ले रखा है?@SuvenduWB pic.twitter.com/FVyOhSn5aw

— Shandilya Giriraj Singh (@girirajsinghbjp) September 26, 2024

One of the students attempted to explain that they had been assigned to the Siliguri exam centre, but was repeatedly asked to show his documents. The group claimed to be from the IB and harassed the youth.

Biswachand Thakur, DCP of Siliguri police, announced that two accused were arrested by Bagdogra police on Thursday evening following a complaint. “On the basis of a complaint two persons were arrested by Bagdogra police on Thursday evening on the charge of threatening and harassing two youths claiming to IB, police officers. Further investigation is under way”, Biswachand Thakur said.

Meanwhile, the attack on the students has drawn widespread criticism from the BJP, which has expressed concern about the law and order situation in the Mamata Banerjee ruled state. Attacking the West Bengal government, Union Minister Giriraj Singh said, “Red carpet for Rohingya Muslims in Bengal and Bihar kid beaten up for taking exam? Are these children not part of India? Has Mamata government taken the contract of only saving rapists?”

Questioning the silence of the opposition over the incident, Union Minister Chirag Paswan, in a post on X wrote, “The news of brutal assault on Bihari students in West Bengal is very unfortunate and condemnable. The Chief Minister of that state has once again insulted the Biharis, which cannot be tolerated at all. I want to ask Mamata Banerjee ji, is it a crime to take an exam in West Bengal? Will the opposition party leaders still remain silent?”

The LJP supremo asked Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to get the case investigated an demanded “legal action” against the culprits. “I want to ask the Leader of Opposition of Bihar, on what basis will you support the Trinamool Congress now. I request the Honorable Chief Minister Shri @NitishKumar ji to get the matter thoroughly investigated and take legal action against the culprits”, Paswan wrote on X. (ANI)