Bengal BJP leader played role in daughter's kidnapping, arrested: Police

A local BJP leader, Suprabhat Batyabyal, and two others were arrested in West Bengal's Birbhum district on Sunday in connection with the kidnapping of his daughter, a senior police officer said.

Suprabhat Batyabyal's daughter, who was kidnapped at gunpoint on Thursday, was "rescued" from Uttar Dinajpur district, he said.

In a joint operation with Uttar Dinajpur police, a police team from Birbhum traced the 22-year-old woman to Dalkhola railway station area on Sunday morning, the officer said.

Suprabhat Batyabyal and two of his associates were arrested after preliminary investigation indicated that they played a role in the kidnapping, he added.

"We have rescued the girl from Dalkhola this morning. She is fine and we are talking to her to find out what had actually happened. We have also arrested the girl's father who seems to have played an important role in the kidnapping," Birbhum Superintendent of Police Shyam Singh told PTI.

Asked about the motive behind the kidnapping, Mr Singh said, "There are two aspects to it. There is a family problem, gaining political mileage could also be the motive. We are probing the matter. We are grilling the three."

Suprabhat Batyabyal, who switched to the BJP from the Trinamool Congress around five months ago, was detained on Saturday night. Police came to know about his daughter's location after questioning him, a district police source said.

Before joining the TMC, Suprabhat Batyabal was a district committee member of the CPI(M).

His daughter's kidnapping had sparked tensions in Labhpur, with protesters blocking the Suri-Katwa road for three days.

On Saturday, a mob attacked local TMC MLA Manirul Islam's vehicle and chased him, forcing him to take refuge in the local police station. Police resorted to mild lathicharge to disperse the mob.

The BJP's district leadership had alleged that TMC-backed goons were behind the kidnapping.

-PTI