Eleven Tribals Arrested After Protesting Land Port Project in West Bengal
· India · The Hindu, Hindustan Times
Eleven residents of Torsa Tea Garden in West Bengal’s Alipurduar district were arrested on November 3, 2026, for protesting against a proposed land port at the India-Bhutan border. The group, consisting of seven men and four women from tribal communities, had been maintaining a peaceful, indefinite dharna at the site for over 100 days. The arrests followed a complaint filed by a Land Ports Authority of India (LPAI) junior engineer regarding the project, which has been under construction for five months. Local union Paschim Banga Cha Majoor Samity stated that protesters were demanding rehabilitation and compensation for land acquisition before the confrontation occurred when machinery arrived on site. Family members reported that the detainees were held for 18 hours across multiple police stations before their formal arrest was registered.
Why it matters
The arrest of tribal protesters underscores the ongoing friction between infrastructure development and the land rights of local communities in West Bengal. The outcome of this legal case will influence the future of the India-Bhutan land port project and the treatment of peaceful demonstrators in the region.
Read the original report — The Hindu
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