Teachers arrested over Raiganj SDO assault

KOUSIK SEN, TT, May 21, 2018, Raiganj: Two schoolteachers were arrested from their homes here on Saturday night for allegedly assaulting Raiganj subdivisional officer T.N. Sherpa during a demonstration against the death of a polling officer on May 16.

Pradip Sinha and Manoj Bhowmik were produced in the chief judicial magistrate's court here on Sunday and remanded in judicial custody for four days.

"We arrested two persons in connection with the assault on the SDO. Our officers have checked video footage of the incident and identified culprits. The arrested duo were present at the spot and had assaulted the official," said Mohan Prasad, the deputy superintendent of police (Sadar), North Dinajpur.

A number of charges under the IPC, including obstructing and assaulting a government employee while on duty and attempt to murder, have been brought against the arrested duo.

On May 16, over 1,000 government employees, mostly schoolteachers, had resorted to a road blockade at Ghori More here to protest against the death of Raj Kumar Roy.

Roy, also a school teacher, had been engaged as the presiding officer for panchayat polls in Itahar block of the district and went missing on the voting day (May 14). On May 15 night, his mutilated body was found near tracks here.

Hundreds of government employees roped in for the polling duty held the demonstration, alleging that Roy had been murdered.

The SDO went to the spot to talk to the protesters. He was attacked by a group of agitated demonstrators, and was shoved and thrashed. Even a slipper was tossed at Sherpa and water sprinkled on him.