Former BJP Rajya Sabha MP Roopa Ganguly was granted bail on Thursday after being arrested earlier that morning and taken to the Lalbazar Kolkata Police headquarters. Ganguly was detained following a night-long protest at Bansdroni Police Station in south Kolkata. She was demanding the arrest of the driver of an excavator involved in a tragic road accident on October 2, which claimed the life of a Class IX student. The student was crushed by the excavator near his tuition centre, a mishap that locals attribute to the poor condition of the road.
The accident triggered widespread outrage and protests in the Bansdroni area. Locals, angered by the incident, accused authorities of negligence, stating that the deteriorating road conditions led to the fatal accident. Protests erupted in the area as residents demanded immediate action, with tensions flaring against the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC). Ganguly, a prominent BJP leader and former actress, joined the protests on Wednesday evening, calling for the arrest of the driver responsible for the death and accusing the TMC of shielding those at fault.
The protests grew more intense as BJP supporters rallied outside the police station, leading to the arrest of BJP leader Ruby Mondal and four others. Ganguly herself was arrested after 14 hours of continuous protest for obstructing the police from performing their duties. Despite her arrest, the driver of the excavator remains at large.
Amidst the protests, locals clashed with police and vandalized the excavator involved in the accident. They also demanded the presence of local MLA and councillors, holding them accountable for the poor road conditions and the incident. The protests continued overnight, with public anger mounting over the lack of immediate action in the case.