Rampurhat, West Bengal:
West Bengal Animal Resources Minister Nure Alam Chowdhury was assaulted and kept confined by a mob for over eight hours at a college in Rampurhat in West Bengal on Sunday in Birbhum district over a disputed land.
Mr Chowdhury, a former High Court judge, was injured but could not be taken to hospital as he had been held up in a room of the college since 11.30 am and a mob laid siege to the college, Superintendent of Police C Sudhakar said.
The minister, who is MLA from Murarai in the district, was released at 8 pm after a prolonged negotiation meeting attended by the district administration, authorities of the college and the mosque.
Additional District Magistrate Bidhan Roy, who was in the negotiation meeting said, "It has been decided to hold a meeting in Suri on September 8 to sort out the problem."
Mr Chowdhury was brought to Suri circuit house after his release.
The dispute arose a couple of years back when a mosque allegedly encroached into a land, owned by a trust headed by Chowdhury at Dokhalbati village on the outskirts of Rampurhat where a the Asleha Girls' College is situated.
The college is named after Asleha Beghum, mother of the minister.
The college authorities circulated leaflets on Sunday morning saying a meeting would be held in the college campus on Tuesday "to prevent anti-social activities" occurring in the premises.
After the minister came to attend a meeting of the college, a large mob attacked him and beat him up.
It was being alleged that the mob gathered there after an announcement through public address system that the minister had come to demolish the mosque.
A huge police force had reached the spot to rescue the minister but did not take any action, a college official said.
Police sources said no action was taken to avoid a major law and order problem.
The mob also ransacked the college building and set on fire furniture and computers.
A car parked in front of the college was also damaged.
Mr Chowdhury, a former High Court judge, was injured but could not be taken to hospital as he had been held up in a room of the college since 11.30 am and a mob laid siege to the college, Superintendent of Police C Sudhakar said.
The minister, who is MLA from Murarai in the district, was released at 8 pm after a prolonged negotiation meeting attended by the district administration, authorities of the college and the mosque.
Additional District Magistrate Bidhan Roy, who was in the negotiation meeting said, "It has been decided to hold a meeting in Suri on September 8 to sort out the problem."
Mr Chowdhury was brought to Suri circuit house after his release.
The dispute arose a couple of years back when a mosque allegedly encroached into a land, owned by a trust headed by Chowdhury at Dokhalbati village on the outskirts of Rampurhat where a the Asleha Girls' College is situated.
The college is named after Asleha Beghum, mother of the minister.
The college authorities circulated leaflets on Sunday morning saying a meeting would be held in the college campus on Tuesday "to prevent anti-social activities" occurring in the premises.
After the minister came to attend a meeting of the college, a large mob attacked him and beat him up.
It was being alleged that the mob gathered there after an announcement through public address system that the minister had come to demolish the mosque.
A huge police force had reached the spot to rescue the minister but did not take any action, a college official said.
Police sources said no action was taken to avoid a major law and order problem.
The mob also ransacked the college building and set on fire furniture and computers.
A car parked in front of the college was also damaged.
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