A total of 12 people have been arrested for allegedly assaulting three sadhus (seers) in Purulia district of West Bengal, police said on Saturday. Purulia Superintendent of Police (SP) Avijit Banerjee said the incident unfolded near Gourangdih when three saints travelling in a vehicle stopped near three girls, who were on their way to a local Kali mandir, and asked something.

“Due to some language issues, some misunderstandings happened, and the girls thought that the Sadhus were following them,” Banerjee said.

The situation quickly escalated as local residents intervened, taking the sadhus near Durga Mandir, where their car was vandalized, and they were subjected to physical assault, he added.

A case has been initiated based on the complaint filed by one of the sadhus.

“The police provided the Sadhus with all possible assistance…A case has been initiated on the complaint by a Sadhu. 12 people have been arrested so far and an investigation is underway.”

Madhur Goswami, a sadhu who claims to have been assaulted by the mob, told reporters, “While we were on our way to Gangasagar, suddenly our car was stopped by a large mob which assaulted us.”

The incident sparked outrage on social media and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) launched a scathing attack on the ruling TMC.

Equating the incident with the 2020 Palghar mob lynching, BJP IT cell chief Amit Malviya, wrote, “Absolutely shocking incident reported from Purulia in West Bengal… Sadhus travelling to Gangasagar for Makar Sankranti were stripped and beaten by criminals affiliated with the ruling TMC.”

“In Mamata Banerjee’s regime, a terrorist like Shahjahan Sheikh gets state protection and sadhus are being lynched. It is a crime to be a Hindu in West Bengal,” Malviya added.

Responding to Malviya’s allegations, TMC spokesperson Riju Dutta shared the statement of Purulia district police and said, “STOP peddling LIES, and try to create a NARRATIVE !! SHAME ON YOU !!”