Sandeshkhali locals celebrate arrest of TMC leader Shajahan Sheikh

'We are very happy that he has been arrested at last. We just hope he should be put behind bars and never return to this area,' a local said. Sheikh was hiding in the house along with a few associates, police said.

Sandeshkhali: Locals in trouble torn Sandeshkhali in West Bengal's North 24 Parganas district on Thursday celebrated the arrest of TMC leader Shajahan Sheikh, accused of sexual abuse of women and land grab in the area, and distributed sweets.

The locals, who for the last few days have been protesting in the riverine Sandeshkhali area, came out in the streets as they distributed sweets and danced in joy as they celebrated the arrest of Shajahan, who has been absconding for the last 55 days.

"We are very happy that he has been arrested at last. We just hope he should be put behind bars and never return to this area. He has destroyed lives of many people area," a local said.

Echoing similar sentiments, a woman said, "We hope that his other associates are also put behind bars."

The riverine Sandeshkhali area -- situated on the borders of the Sundarbans, about 100 kilometres from Kolkata -- has been on the boil for more than a month with protests over allegations of sexual abuse and land grab against Shajahan Sheikh and his supporters.

The unrest in the area stems from accusations against Shajahan and his supporters of land grabbing and sexual assault with the local TMC strongman evading authorities since a mob attack on Enforcement Directorate officials on January 5.

Shajahan Sheikh was arrested on Thursday morning from a house in Minakhan, around 30 km away from the island of Sandeshkhali. Sheikh was hiding in the house along with a few associates, police said.