Police in West Bengal have detained a leader of unemployed teachers’ protests, a day before a planned march on the School Service Commission (SSC) office in Kolkata, after his name was linked to an alleged audio clip discussing attacks on police.
On Monday morning, a team from Chandannagar Police Commissionerate detained protest organiser Suman Biswas from Adisaptagram railway station in Hooghly district. His family said police had earlier searched their house in nearby Bandel before picking him up while he was on his way to join the demonstration.
According to Suman’s brother Sanjay Biswas, “We just learnt that my brother was taken away from Adisaptagram station. He was not even allowed to say anything. We don’t know which police station he has been taken to. Is it a crime that he got his job in 2016? If government employees themselves face such humiliation, where do we go for justice?”
The detention follows the release of a six-minute audio clip on Sunday by Bidhannagar Police Commissionerate, which allegedly featured protest leaders discussing plans to hurl crude bombs and set fire to property during the SSC protest. Police officials claimed the voice belonged to Biswas, though the authenticity of the recording has not been independently verified.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Bidhannagar), Anish Sarkar, said Biswas had earlier sought permission via email for the SSC protest march, but it was denied. He alleged that the subsequent phone recording revealed plans for a violent attack on police during the demonstration. A case has been registered on the basis of the clip.
Biswas, however, dismissed the allegations on Sunday, calling them an attempt by the state government to discredit the movement. “We do not believe in violent protests. The government is trying to malign us and destroy the agitation,” he told reporters.
The teachers’ body ‘Chakrihara Jogyota Shikshak Mancha’ (Forum of Unemployed Qualified Teachers) has called for the SSC office march on Monday, demanding jobs they say they were unfairly denied despite qualifying in recruitment examinations as far back as 2016.
The controversy has heightened tensions ahead of the demonstration, with police on alert to prevent any violence.
