Overview
- Police said the men were identified from social media footage and complaints filed by two vendors at Maidan police station.
- The arrested have been named as Soumik Golder, Swarnendu Chakraborty and Tarun Bhattacharya, booked under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita provisions including unlawful assembly, causing hurt, mischief and acts outraging religious feelings.
- Videos show a vendor being surrounded, slapped, forced to do ear-holding squats and having patties thrown away; the victims reported losses of about ₹3,000.
- The alleged assaults occurred near the ‘Paanch Lokkho Konthe Gita Paath’ event organised by Sanatan Sanskriti Sansad, which drew senior BJP leaders and the governor.
- The case has fueled political confrontation, with TMC and CPI(M) accusing BJP-linked groups of food policing and BJP leaders denying party involvement as police continue the probe and consider more arrests.