Kolkata Police on Wednesday imposed a ban on rallies with earthmovers and bulldozers and arrested more than 1,500 people across the state in the last 48 hours in connection with post-election clashes, police said.
This comes a day after allegations surfaced that Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers and supporters vandalized shops in Kolkata’s New Market area with bulldozers and also attacked the Trinamool Congress (TMC) office.
“Action will be taken. A specific case is being filed. No rallies with earthmovers and other similar vehicles will be allowed. Police will take action against the owners of such vehicles if they are used in rallies. The vehicle will be confiscated immediately and the rally will be cancelled. Legal action will also be taken against the organisers,” Kolkata Police Commissioner Ajay Nand said.
80 people have been arrested in the city since the election results were announced on May 4. While 65 people were arrested in connection with specific cases, 15 people were arrested for preventive reasons.
The police launched a special campaign to contain the violence and found weapons.
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Nand also said that the administration would take action against any police officer found negligent on duty.
“If we receive any complaints to Kolkata Police and CAPF [Central Armed Police Forces] They will move jointly like they did during the Assembly elections. We work jointly and there is a common control room. Information about sabotage flowed from some pockets. In some cases, no complaints were filed with the police. The police registered cases on their own.”
In Nizhat in North 24 Parganas, five police personnel, including two members of the National Police Force, sustained gunshot wounds late on Tuesday, and police arrested at least four people. A senior police officer said that preliminary investigations indicate that the clash broke out between two groups over control of a fish farm.
Post-election clashes broke out in several pockets across the state starting Monday after the results of the House of Representatives elections were announced.
“There have been some violent incidents including intimidation and assault. Police have registered more than 200 FIRs [First Information Report]. At least 433 people were arrested on the basis of FIRs, and more than 1,100 preventive arrests were made. Syed Nath Gupta, Director General of Police, West Bengal, said that since Wednesday morning, there have been no violent incidents.
Over 2,400 companies of the Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) have been deployed in the state ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. The Election Commission of India (ECI) has decided to keep around 500 corporators in the state until further orders to prevent post-election violence.
There were allegations of widespread post-election violence in 2021 after the TMC came to power for the third time in a row. The Calcutta High Court later ordered the CBI to investigate the allegations.
