Jalpaiguri police have registered a case against district BJP leaders for organising a public meeting led by state unit chief Sukanta Majumdar on a prominent thoroughfare of the town on Saturday which halted traffic, acting on a complaint by "a person".

“A person has filed a complaint with us, saying a political party organised a meeting by blocking a road in the town. Earlier, the party had informed police that they would hold the meeting in a confined space but they violated it. Based on the complaint, we have registered a case,” said Khandbahale Umesh Ganpat, the Jalpaiguri superintendent of police, on Sunday.

The police didn’t divulge the complainant’s name.

Police sources said the case has been filed against Bapi Goswami, the district Trinamul president, and some other party leaders. Charges under section 341 of IPC (wrongful restraint) have been brought against them.

On Saturday around 4pm, BJP leaders, led by Majumdar, reached near the district party office on DBC Road, a prominent thoroughfare that runs through the heart of Jalpaiguri town. They had then brought in a makeshift dais and placed it on the road. The leaders, including Majumdar, had stepped on the dais and delivered speeches.

As the road got crowded with hundreds of BJP supporters, traffic stopped and people had to take turnaround routes.

The road had remained blocked for over an hour.

District Trinamul leaders had questioned the meaning of blocking a main thoroughfare for a public meeting and accused the BJP of trying to foment tension in the town.

Mohua Gope, the district Trinamul president, had said on Saturday that by blocking the road, BJP had tried to incite and provoke residents. In the event of people getting angry over the road blocked during rush hour, the BJP would have questioned Jalpaiguri's law and order and made it into a political issue, she alleged.

On Sunday, Gope appreciated the police move.

“It is good that the police have registered a case. Those who violated the law by blocking a road for a public meeting will face legal consequences. Had the police made any move yesterday (Saturday), the BJP would have resorted to violence. This was their plan,” she said.

Goswami, when contacted, sounded unperturbed. “The police didn’t grant us permission. That is why we held the meeting on the road. We are not surprised by the case as the state police act at Trinamul's behest. Hundreds of false cases have been registered against BJP leaders and workers in the state,” Goswami said.

“We will contest the case legally. If required, we will file complaints against Trinamul with appropriate evidence for similarly holding meetings,” the BJP leader added.