Kolkata: The Bengal Police on Sunday arrested Mohammad Jasimuddin, a Trinamool Congress councillor of Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC), on charges of molestation and harassment of a minor girl.
With this, a total of eight Trinamool Congress councillors of KMC have been arrested over various charges since the change of government in the state.
Jasimuddin is a Trinamool councillor of ward number 39 in Jorasanko area in central Kolkata. He was arrested from his house in the afternoon. Police and Central forces were at his house since early morning. Allegedly, the Trinamool leader was not opening the door, and after waiting for almost six hours, the police forced open the door from outside, entered the premises and arrested Jasimuddin.
There is tension in the area over the entire incident. His followers are protesting outside, while BJP supporters have also joined the protest and threw eggs at the arrested councillor.
According to the police, a case has been registered against Jasimuddin under multiple sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012 and Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
According to local sources, Jasimuddin’s close associates were involved in the harassment of a minor girl in the area three years ago. That minor is now a college student.
On Saturday, she was harassed again in the Kalabagan area and was threatened to withdraw the old case. After that, the girl’s family members filed another complaint with the Jorasanko police station. A person close to Jasimuddin was arrested in connection with the incident on Saturday night. Police have filed a case against five people, including the councillor.
By 6 a.m. on Sunday, officers of Jorasanko police station had reached Jasimuddin’s house. The Central forces surrounded the house outside, and it was alleged that the gate of the house was locked from inside. Despite the police’s calls, no one opened the door. Around noon, a key maker was called to the spot. After this, the door was opened, and the councillor was brought out. By then, many people had gathered outside. Among them were the councillor’s followers as well as BJP workers and supporters. Jasimuddin was taken out of the house and taken into a car.
Jasimuddin was previously with the CPI(M). He joined the Trinamool Congress before municipal corporation elections in 2015. He won two consecutive elections on a Trinamool ticket.
According to Trinamool sources, he was an associate of former MLA Vivek Gupta, who did not get a ticket from Jorasanko in the 2026 Assembly elections.
(IANS)
