West Bengal Congress chief Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury was on Friday stopped by police on way to restive Sandeshkhali area, which has been rocked by protests over alleged atrocities on villagers by TMC leaders, citing prohibitory orders

The police did not allow the BJP team to go to the unrest-hit Sandeshkhali, citing prohibitory orders under Section 144 of CrPC, Union Minister Pratima Bhoumik said. After being stopped at Rampur village on the way to Sandeshkhali block, the six-member delegation of the saffron party began a sit-in protest

The Congress delegation spearheaded by Chowdhury, encountered initial hindrance from police officials at Sarberia and subsequently at Rampur, along the path to Sandeshkhali in North 24 Parganas district

Chowdhury condemned the Mamata Banerjee-led government, asserting that it was attempting to politicise the situation. He questioned the state government's rationale behind denying access to opposition parties, stating, "Why are opposition parties being prevented from entering Sandeshkhali? What is the state government trying to hide? Why are they trying to politicise it?"

Earlier, BJP state president Sukanta Majumdar and Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari were stopped from entering the restive region. Majumdar was also injured during a protest in Taki over atrocities against women in the unrest-hit area. He had to be hospitalised

The central BJP team, later in the day, met Governor C V Ananda Bose in Kolkata and apprised him of the situation in Sandeshkhali in North 24 Parganas district, and said they would move court against the state administration for not allowing them to the area