Dutta was picked up by the district police from Narayangarh, while he was on his way to take part in a programme organised by the tribals.

“Dutta’s name was mentioned in the FIR, which was lodged at the the Jhargram police station after the PCAPA went on a rampage in a sponge-iron factory at Jitushol village. They had set around 18 vehicles on fire and Rs 10 lakh was looted from the factory,” said Manoj Verma, Superintendent of Police, West Midnapore.

Dutta and his organisation had actively participated in protests against the proposed nuclear plant in Haripur.

Dutta has been working as an environment activist for the last 30 years. “Nagarik Mancha works on the arsenic level in the water and the pollution caused by the sponge-iron factories. The organisation filed a case in the High Court claiming the factory in Jitushol was running illegally. The HC directed the West Bengal Pollution Control Board (WBPCB) to look into the matter. The WBPCB officials had visited the spot. Villagers set fire to the factory on December 18, but Dutta was not involved in the incident,” said Choton Das, secretary of Bandi Mukti Committee.