Kolkata

Arrest of social activist Medha Patkar along with 10 others at Debra rocked the West Bengal Assembly today with the Trinamool Congress and the Congress condemning police excesses and demanding an immediate statement from the Chief Minister.

Medha Patkar and 10 others, mostly human rights activists, were arrested near Debra after they defied police orders not to approach Lalgarh, a prohibitory order-bound area in West Midnapore district. Raising a point of order in the House after the recess, Leader of Opposition Partha Chattopadhyay (TC) wondered as to how Medha and others were arrested at a place near Debra where prohibitory orders were not in force.

Chattopadhyay condemned the arrest and alleged that the rights activists, accompanying Medha, were beaten up by the police after being forcibly taken to Debra police station.

He said it was a clear case of police excesses and demanded that those arrested be immediately released. CLP leader Manas Bhuinya demanded that the Chief Minister inform the House about the circumstances leading to the arrest of Medha and others.