The Calcutta High Court on Thursday ordered a National Investigation Agency (NIA) probe into the violence in Howrah, Hooghly and Dalkhola during Ram Navami this year. Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) had taken out Ram Navami processions in Howrah and Dinajpur districts, after which people of the two communities came face to face.
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Besides, due to escalating violence, Section 144 was clamped in many areas. After 24 hours, another incident of stone pelting was reported in Shibpur. As many as 15 people including three policemen were injured in the incident. 10 vehicles were set ablaze and many shops were set on fire and vandalized.
A division bench of acting chief justice ordered West Bengal Police to hand over all the necessary documents related to investigation to the National Investigation Agency within two weeks. The high court has ordered all concerned police stations to hand over all records, FIRs and CCTV footage to the NIA within two weeks. The NIA will start Investigation into the matter after the NOC from the Central government.
The high court’s order came on BJP MLA Subhendu Adhikari PIL seeking an NIA probe into the violence on Ram Navami in West Bengal. The bench earlier said that the report submitted by the police to the state government, showed that the violence was premeditated. The police report said that there was violence between two groups but a third party wanted to take advantage of it.
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