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In 72 hours, 64 held with 92 illegal firearms: West Bengal Police initiate major crackdown on people with criminal backgrounds

The crackdown by the West Bengal Police comes in the backdrop of a recent attempt on the life of Trinamool Congress (TMC) councillor Sushanta Ghosh.

The police have seized narcotic substances too, including 31,789 kg of cannabis, 97 kg of heroin, and 42.63 kg of brown sugar. (File)

In just 72 hours since November 18, the West Bengal government has arrested at least 64 people from across the state along with arms.

The arrests are a part of a larger crackdown on people with criminal antecedents which saw the arrest of 1,148accused, including 342 wanted criminals, since November 18. The arrests spread across several districts, including Baruipur, Diamond Harbour, Basirhat, Bangaon, Barrackpore, Howrah, Chandannagar, and Birbhum.

According to a police officer, 92 illegal firearms, 75 cartridges, and 15 bombs were seized during the special operation.

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The police have seized narcotic substances too, including 31,789 kg of cannabis, 97 kg of heroin, and 42.63 kg of brown sugar.

The crackdown comes in the backdrop of a recent attempt on the life of Trinamool Congress (TMC) councillor Sushanta Ghosh which led to several party leaders raising concerns about the rising crime rate in the state.

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State minister and Kolkata Mayor Firhad Hakim condemned the incident and linked it to the “culture of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar”. However, he emphasized that preventing crime is the primary responsibility of the police, not the elected representatives.

Meanwhile, TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh acknowledged the police’s “efforts” but stressed the need for heightened vigilance to prevent future incidents.

Sweety Kumari

Sweety Kumari reports from West Bengal for The Indian Express. She is a journalist with over a decade of experience in the media industry. Covers Crime, Defence, Health , Politics etc and writes on trending topics. With a keen eye for investigative and human-interest stories. She has honed her craft across diverse beats including aviation, health, incidents etc. Sweety delivers impactful journalism that informs and engages audiences. Sweety Kumari is a graduate of Calcutta University with an Honors degree in Journalism from Jaipuria College and a PG in Mass Communication from Jadavpur University. Originally from Bihar, she is brought up in Kolkata and completed her education from Kendriya Vidyalaya SaltLake. Multilingual, Sweety is fluent in English, Hindi, Bengali, and Maithili. She started her career as an Entertainment and lifestyle journalist with a newsportal in Kolkata. She is working with The Indian Express for 8 years now. ... Read More

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West Bengal Police