No rallies with earthmovers allowed, says Kolkata police on post-poll clashes

E-PaperSubscribeSubscribeEnjoy unlimited accessSubscribe Now! Get features like Kolkata police on Wednesday imposed a ban on rallies with earthmovers and bulldozers and arrested over 1,500 people across the state in the last 48 hours in connection with post-poll clashes, police said. A damaged portion of a market after the BJP supporters allegedly used a bulldozer to demolish a few meat shops in New Market area. (PTI)This comes a day after allegations surfaced that Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers and supporters vandalised shops in Kolkata’s New Market area with bulldozer and also attacked the Trinamool Congress (TMC) party office. “Action will be taken. A specific case is being lodged. No rallies will be allowed with earthmovers and other similar vehicles. Police will take action against owners of such vehicles if they are used in rallies. The vehicle will be immediately seized and the rally will be cancelled. Legal action will also be taken against the organisers,” Ajay Nand, commissioner of Kolkata Police said. 80 people have been arrested in the city since election results were announced on May 4. While 65 people were arrested in connection with specific cases, 15 were arrested on preventive grounds. Police launched a special drive to contain violence and recovered weapons. Also Read:Unrest in Kolkata after Mamata Banerjee’s poll defeat, refusal to resign? What police say Nand also said that the department will take action against any police officer found negligent while on duty. “If we get any complaints the Kolkata Police and the CAPF [Central Armed Police Forces] will move jointly just like during the assembly elections. We are working jointly and there is a joint control room. Information about vandalism has poured in from some pockets. In some cases, no complaints were filed with the police. The police registered suo moto cases,” he said. In Nazat in North 24 Parganas, five police personnel, including two CAPF personnel, sustained pellet injuries late on Tuesday, police arrested at least four people. Preliminary investigation suggested that the clash broke out between two groups to take control over a fish farm, said a senior police officer. Post-poll clashes erupted in many pockets across the state starting Monday after the assembly election results were announced. “There have been some incidents of violence including intimidation and assault. Police have registered more than 200 FIRs [First Information Report]. At least 433 people have been arrested based on the FIRs, and more than 1100 preventive arrests have been made. Since Wednesday morning there have been no incidents of violence,” Siddh Nath Gupta, West Bengal director general of police said. Over 2,400 companies of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) were deployed in the state leading up to the assembly elections. The Election Commission of India (ECI) decided to retain around 500 companies in the state until further orders to prevent post poll violence. There were allegations of large-scale post-poll violence in 2021 after the TMC came to power for the third consecutive time. The Calcutta high court later ordered the CBI to probe the allegations.