Violence in Bengal’s Rishra on the evening of April 2 was instigated by the group leading the Ram Navami procession, the primary investigation report submitted in the high court by the Chandannagar commissioner has revealed, irking the BJP which called it a “political” report.
The report states that at about 6pm, the procession — with a vehicle playing loud music and a gathering of around 1,000-1,200 people — came in front of the Baro Masjid in Hooghly district. “…The followers of the procession started [using] abusive language towards local people of that area and also started throwing bricks/stones towards the Masjid. …Then the local people of that area also started throwing bricks/stones towards them. As a result, the situation deteriorated,” the report stated.
Noting the melee, police and a re-enforcement team reached the spot, declared the mob ‘unlawful assembly’ and commanded it to disperse.
Locals say while police quickly acted against the miscreants on April 2, tension once again erupted on the night of April 3.
Describing Day 2 of the violence, the report said: “…At 17.45 hrs, approx 500/600 local people of the area gathered and used filthy language desperately aiming upon the police personnel. Then they started pelting bricks/stones towards police personnel. As a result the situation deteriorated. (sic)”
As re-enforcement was called to tackle the situation, police asked the mob to disperse but “they became more furious and started to assault police by using bamboo sticks and throwing bricks, stones and also started to damage one government vehicle….Thereafter they set a government vehicle on fire and put on arson one local shop (sic)”.
As per the orders of the superiors, the force fired tear smoke-grenade, stun-grenade, spade, paper cartridge, long and short range shell, and rubber bullet to disperse the mob “but they became more furious and again started to assault police personnel with bamboo sticks, iron rod, stones/bricks, and displaying sword and fire arms with a view to kill the police personnel (sic)”.
Reacting to the report, state BJP chief Sukanto Majumdar said: “This is a political report, not an administrative one. This is what happens in a TMC government. But anybody present there can tell you what happened.”
The TMC, responding to the allegations, said it never influenced the administration. Party MP Shantanu Sen said: “This is the TMC government, not the BJP that we use law enforcement agencies. TMC has never influenced the administration. It’s BJP who do this and hence are thinking so.”
The police is slated to submit another report on April 10. A fact-finding civil society team headed by a former chief justice will reach Rishra on Saturday but they may not be allowed to visit the area since Section 144 has been imposed.
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