WB Guv Anand Bose to speak with families of children killed in Chopra

West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose arrived at Islampur Circuit House in North Dinajpur district on Tuesday to meet the family members of the four children, who died allegedly after a mound of soil caved in during drainage expansion near the India-Bangladesh border in the Chopra area.

West Bengal Minister Md Ghulam Rabbani, meanwhile, hoped that the governor would play an impartial role and ensure justice for the families of the deceased.

"A 12-member delegation visited Raj Bhavan and requested the Governor to come here and he agreed. We are happy and we welcome him here. We hope that he will play an impartial role and ensure justice to the families of the deceased," he told ANI.

The Trinamool Congress alleges that four innocent children lost their lives in Uttar Dinajpur's Chopra during an illegal drain expansion by the Border Security Force (BSF).

Trinamool Congress general secretary Abhishek Banerjee had questioned West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose's 'priorities' for visiting Sandeshkhali within 24 hours after the BJP asked him to but not find time to visit North Dinajpur's Chopra, where four children were allegedly found dead in a ditch near a construction site.

The TMC, meanwhile, laid the blame for the alleged child deaths on the BSF, which it said was engaged in an 'illegal' drain expansion work in Chopra in North Dinajpur district.

Meanwhile, West Bengal BJP president Sukanta Mazumdar on Monday said that the party would hold a 72-hour-long protest in the coming days demanding the arrest of Sheikh Shahjahan amid the turmoil in the state over the Sandeshkhali violence.

Addressing a press conference in New Delhi, Mazumdar said, "We will hold a minimum 72-hour long protest in the coming days demanding the arrest of Sheikh Shahjahan. The probable day of protest is February 22."

"The money of the public is being spent to save the 'Babus' in West Bengal. The money which should be spent for the public is being spent for the politicians. Why do they fear the privilege committee if they haven't done any wrong?" the BJP leader asked.

The Sandeshkhali area has been witnessing unrest for over 10 days as women protestors are seeking justice against alleged atrocities committed by TMC leader Sheikh Shahjahan and his aides.

Notably, the Supreme Court on Monday observed that the Calcutta High Court has taken cognisance of the matter relating to the alleged sexual assault of women living in village Sandeshkhali in West Bengal and refused to entertain a plea seeking a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation or Special Investigation Team (SIT) into the issue.