Calcutta High Court seeks action report from West Bengal government

The Calcutta High Court on Monday sought an action report from the West Bengal government on Howrah, Hooghly and Dalkhola violence by April 5 in connection with Ram Navami processions.

Acting Chief Justice T S Sivagnanam and Justice Hiranmay Bhattacharyya have directed the state government to submit CCTV footage and visuals of the violence and details of the damage faced by the locals.

Leader of Opposition in state assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, filed a (PIL) on Friday seeking a National Investigation Agency (NIA) probe into the alleged violence in the Howrah and North Dinajpur districts on Thursday. Violence broke out in Howrah's Kajipara area on Thursday evening, injuring several people, during a Ram Navami procession. Several vehicles were torched while some were also vandalised.


While hearing a petition filed by Adhikari, the division bench of acting Chief Justice Sivagnanam and Justice Bhattacharyya also sought reports on the arrests made till now.

The court asked advocate General SN Mookherjee why the Ram Navami procession was granted permission when there were past instances of trouble in the same area, people in the know said. Violence had broken out at the same location in Howrah in 2022.