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Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Wednesday, June 17, said stringent action would be taken against those who allegedly tried to storm a police station in the South 24 Parganas district and free jailed TMC leader Jahangir Khan.

Directing police to invoke the charge of endangering the sovereignty and unity of India against those involved in attacks on security personnel, he stressed that law enforcement agencies must ensure that the accused are brought to book without delay.

Addressing the state government’s outreach programme — ‘Janakalyan Shivir’ — in Falta, he said those seen in videos purportedly attacking police personnel and paramilitary forces at the local police station would not be spared.

Eight people have been arrested so far in connection with the incident at the Falta police station. Police have named Khan’s wife as the mastermind behind the attack.

“I was in Kurseong on Tuesday. I saw on television that some people, under the leadership of the mafia’s wife, tried to attack police personnel and paramilitary forces. The rule of law has been established in Falta. No matter how big a mafia is, the BJP government will teach them a lesson,” he said.

On Tuesday, a group of people staged a protest in Falta, demanding the release of Khan. The demonstration was allegedly led by his wife, and the police and paramilitary forces dispersed the crowd.

Videos purportedly showing protesters fleeing and jumping into nearby water bodies after being chased by the police went viral on social media.

“Those seen in the videos would not be spared. I am instructing the superintendent of police to book those involved in anti-state activities under the relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. They must be punished so that no one can dare to attack police, government employees or paramilitary forces again,” Adhikari said.

“There will be no room for hooliganism, loot or violence of any kind in this area anymore,” he said.

Khan, who called himself ‘Pushpa’ — inspired by the Allu Arjun-starrer Telugu blockbuster, was arrested near the India-Nepal border in north Bengal on June 8 after he was booked under various charges, including extortion.

“Not only will jail be imposed, but the properties of those who have carried out the attack will be confiscated and put up for auction. Our double-engine government will ensure this. Establishing the rule of law is our objective,” the chief minister said.

Adhikari asserted that his government would not tolerate any form of lawlessness and urged people to refrain from taking the law into their own hands.

Referring to alleged corruption during the previous regime, he said funds meant for repairing houses post-Cyclone Amphan were misappropriated.

“There have been several instances of corruption in Falta. I have received the list. I have instructed the district magistrate that during Cyclone Amphan, Rs 20,000 was given from the Prime Minister’s Relief Fund for each house damaged in Falta.

“Under the previous government’s ‘Banglar Bari’ scheme, Rs 60,000 was disbursed for each of the around 8,000 proposed units in the first instalment, but the houses were never built. Everyone knows who took the money,” Adhikari said.

He further said the role of the then block development officer had come under suspicion, and appropriate action would be taken.

“I have also instructed the district magistrate to verify every beneficiary. The district administration will work on recovering the money that was looted. I will monitor the process,” he said.

Adhikari alleged that there have been irregularities in the state’s housing scheme, and funds meant for beneficiaries had been siphoned off.