Archive · 12 Sep 2026
Bengal Congress Leader Arrested Over Bageshwar Baba Poster Burning
Atanu Das is a Congress leader in Kolkata.
He and other party members protested comments by a religious preacher called Bageshwar Baba.
The preacher had criticized cooking or eating non-vegetarian food during Durga Puja.
Police say the protesters burned and disrespected a picture of him.
Congress leaders say the police account is false and that some party members burned a picture only after the main demonstration.
They also say they had complained about the preacher’s remarks.
After a statement by Suvendu Adhikari in the Assembly, police arrested Das at his home.
Das was charged with offenses involving religious disharmony and hurt sentiments.
A court sent him to police custody for four days.
Kolkata police arrested Atanu Das, the Congress Kolkata general secretary, at his Regent Park home around Thursday midnight.
Das and other Congress leaders protested remarks by Dhirendra Krishna Shashtri, known as Bageshwar Baba, about non-vegetarian food during Durga Puja.
Police allege protesters burned, trampled and hit a photograph of Shashtri with shoes during a demonstration in Kolkata.
The case was filed after a complaint by Kaushalya Nandan Dharm Jagran Samity and includes charges of promoting disharmony, hurting religious sentiments and common intention.
A court sent Das to four days of police remand, while a Congress leader called the case false and politically motivated.
- Who
- Atanu Das, Congress Kolkata general secretary; other Congress protesters; Dhirendra Krishna Shashtri, known as Bageshwar Baba; Kolkata police; and Kaushalya Nandan Dharm Jagran Samity.
- What
- Das was arrested and charged after a protest involving the alleged burning and disrespectful treatment of Shashtri’s photograph.
- When
- The demonstration was reported as taking place on September 8 in one account and on a Tuesday afternoon in another; Das was arrested around Thursday midnight and produced in court on Friday.
- Where
- The protest was reported near 42, SP Mukherjee Road and Bhowanipore police station in Kolkata; Das was arrested from his Regent Park home in South Kolkata.
- Why
- Police said the alleged conduct promoted disharmony, hurt religious sentiments and threatened public order; Congress leaders said they were protesting Shashtri’s remarks about non-vegetarian food during Durga Puja and called the case false.
Congress Leaders and Lawyers
Police and Complainant
What happened to the photograph
Congress Leaders and Lawyers
Congress leader Pradip Prasad said the photograph was not burned in front of the police station and that some party members burned it later at the insistence of a YouTuber.
Police and Complainant
Police alleged that demonstrators burned, trampled and struck the photograph with shoes, accompanied by derogatory and disrespectful remarks.
Reason for the protest
Congress Leaders and Lawyers
Congress leaders said they were protesting Shashtri’s remarks criticizing the cooking and consumption of non-vegetarian food during Durga Puja, and said they had filed complaints against him.
Police and Complainant
Police and the complainant said the treatment of the photograph insulted the religious sentiments of followers and could incite social disharmony.
Meaning of the arrest
Congress Leaders and Lawyers
Pradip Prasad and Das’s lawyer described the case as false, unfortunate and politically motivated, arguing that protesters were being targeted instead of the preacher.
Police and Complainant
The authorities said arresting Das was necessary to investigate the alleged conduct, its motive and possible links with others or extremist groups.
- Arrested person
- Atanu Das, Congress Kolkata general secretary
- Arresting agency
- Kolkata police
- Arrest location
- Das’s Regent Park home in South Kolkata
- Protest issue
- Dhirendra Krishna Shashtri’s comments criticizing non-vegetarian food during Durga Puja
- Complainant
- Kaushalya Nandan Dharm Jagran Samity
- Charges
- Promoting disharmony, hurting religious sentiments and common intention
- Court action
- Alipore court ordered four days of police remand
