1 arrested for idol damage in Bengal, police say no communal or political link found so far

“Based on intelligence inputs, we identified a person named Narayan Halder, son of Bhupati Halder, as being involved. A team was sent, and Narayan Halder was arrested. During interrogation, he confessed to his crime and apologised for his actions. He was found to be in an inebriated state at the time of the incident [desecration of the idol].”

Stating that the investigation would continue to identify others involved in the incident, the police said: “So far, no political angle has been found. Prima facie, the incident appears to be a localised issue.”

“We wish to reiterate that the sanctity of Maa Kali is of utmost importance to us. We request everyone not to spread misinformation or fall for any propaganda. The police will take every necessary step to safeguard the sanctity of Maa Kali,” the police added.

Police said the situation escalated on Wednesday after “some outsiders” entered the area soon after the incident, triggering a road blockade on the National Highway.

“To prevent any further damage to the idol during stone-pelting, we placed it safely inside a police van and cleared the highway. We conducted patrolling throughout the night and restored normalcy,” officials said, adding that two separate cases, one for vandalism and another for blocking the highway, have been registered.

No arrests have been made in the road blockade case.

“We are checking whether there are CCTV cameras in the area. The situation is now normal, and police teams have been deployed to maintain peace and order,” said the police.

Following the incident, the BJP had accused the TMC government of shielding the culprits and failing to protect Hindu sentiments.

The ruling TMC, however, maintained that the police acted swiftly to prevent communal tension and apprehend the culprit.