Rotting potatos & onions in cold storage trigger protest; School kids block road

On Friday, small school children and residents blocked the Arambagh-Kolkata road in Arambag, Hooghly district. The protest was sparked by the foul smell emanating from rotten potatoes and onions stored in a nearby cold storage facility. Despite repeated complaints, the cold storage officials had not addressed the issue, prompting the community to take drastic action.

The blockade led to a temporary closure of the Arambagh Kolkata State Road. Upon receiving reports of the incident, Arambag police arrived at the scene to disperse the protesters. Tensions escalated as the protesters clashed with the police.

The situation further intensified when locals began attacking the store manager. The intervention of Partha Hazari, head of the local Harinkhola (1) Gram Panchayat and a Trinamool leader, and the police eventually restored order.

The source of the problem is Mohini Cold Storage in the Haraditya area of ​​Harinkhola Gram Panchayat, located near a primary school. Locals have alleged that the storage of a large quantity of rotten potatoes and onions was causing a pervasive foul smell, affecting the residents and school children. Frustrated by the inaction of the cold storage officials despite repeated requests, students and parents staged a protest in front of the facility.