Amid incidents of post-poll violence in several parts of West Bengal, Acting Director General of Police Siddh Nath Gupta on Wednesday said that over 400 people have been arrested, and another 1,100 have been detained across the state in the last 48 hours.
“Since May 4, after the announcement of results, there have been incidents of violence, including threats, assaults, and intimidation. We have registered more than 200 FIRs and arrested 433 people so far. We have detained more than 1,100 people under preventive measures,” the Acting DGP said, adding that there have been reports of violence and assault since Wednesday morning.
He said that two deaths related to post-poll violence – one at Nanoor and another at New Town – have been reported. “We are investigating both cases. We have been able to arrest those involved in these two murders,” Nath added.
Appealing for peace, the Acting DGP said, “There might be grievances against some persons. These grievances might be genuine or whatever they are. They have to approach the police station, they have to lodge the complaint, and wait for the police to take legal steps against them. There is no need to take law and order into their own hands, and we have to maintain calm, peace, and tranquility.”
Police and CAPF personnel at the site of attack on security personnel in Sandeshkhali, Wednesday. (ANI
Kolkata Police Commissioner Ajay Kumar Nand warned of strict action against anyone trying to disturb law and order.
Stating that a special drive is underway to apprehend troublemakers, he said 80 people have been arrested so far within the Kolkata Police jurisdiction.
Nand said of the 80 arrested, 65 were taken into custody in specific cases, while 15 others were apprehended as a preventive measure.
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“Anyone trying to create an environment of threat or terror will be acted against strictly… No one should indulge in any kind of violence or acts that disturb the law and order,” Nand told a press conference.
“There have been a few incidents, but the situation is more or less peaceful,” he said, adding that a number of arms have also been recovered in raids.
He warned that rallies involving bulldozers, which were a focal point during the election campaign, would not be allowed in any victory procession. The city police chief said follow-up action will be taken against JCB owners if they rent their vehicles for such purposes.
Earlier in the day, a police officer and several Central Armed Police Forces personnel came under bullet fire in the Najat area of Sandeshkhali in North 24 Parganas district.
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“The team was fired upon while on their way to prevent a communal clash in a village. An O-C was injured after being hit by a gunshot in his leg. Four others, including a woman constable, were also injured in the firing.
“In the Nazat area on Tuesday, the O-C of a local police station got information that a group was assembling and they were about to attack another group of a different community. On hearing this information, OC Nazat, along with the available CAPF (Central Armed Police Forces) force, rushed to the spot. As soon as they reached there, and were about to get down from the vehicle, bullets were shot at them. Five were injured, including two police personnel and two CAPF personnel. Now, all of them are okay. Yesterday, late at night (Tuesday), we conducted a raid and arrested four persons. Raids are still continuing,” Said DGP Gupta.
In another incident in the Jiaganj area of Murshidabad district, some miscreants broke a statue of Lenin. Five people were identified and arrested.
” Our comrades immediately responded and filed a police complaint. A demonstration was held, following which five were arrested. This morning, our comrades returned to the site. The statue will be rebuilt on May 8th. Comrade Lenin, Long Live!” the CPI(M) posted on X handle.
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Meanwhile, Inspector General of Police (Barasat) Amit P Javalgi said some of the houses in a village in the district were ransacked on Tuesday. “One person was shot in the leg. Some CAPF jawans suffered minor injuries, and one woman constable was also injured. They were immediately sent to a hospital. Senior officers and everyone from the district administration and police administration reached the spot. Four of those involved have been arrested. The rest are being arrested… All the people who are involved are being arrested. Bombs have been found in some areas, and we have also seized them. Necessary action is being taken,” the Barsat IG said.
According to the West Bengal Acting DGP, 500 companies of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) are deployed in the state for law and order. “Apart from that, we have 200 more companies of the CAPF to guard the strongrooms where EVMs are stored. At this moment, we have a sufficient number of CAPF companies,” he added.
On Tuesday night, The Indian Express reported that at least 4 persons were killed, allegedly linked to post-poll violence. Two BJP workers were killed in New Town in North 24 Parganas and Udaynarayanpur in Howrah, while the TMC alleged that two of its party members were also killed in Beleghata in Kolkata and Nanoor in Birbhum.
‘Unless we accept, no one can claim to be BJP worker’
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Amid reports of post-poll violence, the BJP on Wednesday said that no one claim to be a party worker unless decided by the party. “You cannot declare yourself a BJP member on your own. Unless the party formally accepts you, you cannot claim to be a BJP member,” the party said. Meanwhile, BJP MLA Saumitra Khan said, “Some people who were in the TMC in the morning, crossed over to the BJP by the evening, and to prove their loyalty to the BJP, they started doing all this violence. Give us 2-4 more hours, and we will make everything right… Our party leadership has instructed the police to act against these miscreants in the strictest way.” —ENS
