Daijiworld Media Network – Purulia

Purulia, Oct 10: Tension prevailed in West Bengal’s Purulia town after a dramatic confrontation between a BJP worker and a party MLA during an ongoing crackdown on illegal sand mining. Police have arrested 19 individuals allegedly involved in unlawful sand extraction from local riverbeds.

According to police sources, the arrests followed a late-night operation on Wednesday, when two overloaded tractors carrying illegally mined sand were intercepted. BJP worker Suraj Sharma reportedly led a protest against the vehicles, alleging that the illegal sand trade was flourishing under police and political protection.

The situation escalated when Sharma entered into a heated altercation with Purulia BJP MLA Sudip Mukherjee at the local police station. Eyewitnesses claimed the exchange turned physical, and a video of the confrontation soon went viral on social media, drawing strong reactions from both party members and locals.

Following the clash, police intensified their drive against sand smuggling in the region, detaining 19 accused sand traders, all of whom were produced before the Purulia District Court on Friday.

Sources indicated that the incident has deepened internal divisions within the BJP’s local unit in Purulia. Senior party leaders are expected to step in to defuse tensions and restore unity ahead of the upcoming assembly elections.