Army to check violence in Kolkata
Army was called out to check violence that broke out in Kolkata during a shutdown called by a Muslim outfit demanding the expulsion of controversial Bangladeshi writer Taslima Nasreen and protesting against the Nandigram turmoil.
By PTI |
KOLKATA: Army was on Wednesday called out to check large-scale violence that broke out in central Kolkata during a shutdown called by a Muslim outfit demanding the expulsion of controversial Bangladeshi writer Taslima Nasreen and protesting against the Nandigram turmoil.
Mobs attacked police and torched vehicles during the three-hour shutdown by the All India Minority Forum forcing Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee to seek the help of the Army in controlling the violence. The authorities are also considering imposing curfew in the affected areas at night.
Sources in the Army headquarters here said that two columns (about 180 personnel) have already left to stage flag marches in areas which witnessed violence. An Army column comprises about 90 men.
Emerging from a high-level meeting with the Chief Minister, West Bengal Home secretary PR Roy told reporters that the government sought six columns of Army including four columns which would be on the standby.
He said that the Army would work in tandem with the state police and stage flag marches in areas in central Kolkata.
Police said that the Forum activists attacked the cops with brickbats and glass bottles which forced the police to lob tear gas shells and make lathicharge to chase away the attackers in various central Kolkata areas.
Even after the three-hour shutdown, more people joined in and continued to attack the police in which Deputy Commissioner, South, Javed Shamim was injured.
The shutdown was called to press the demand for cancellation of visa of Taslima Nasreen and to protest against the Nandigram violence.
The Home secretary said that the government was contemplating imposing curfew in the violence-hit areas at night.
Mobs attacked police and torched vehicles during the three-hour shutdown by the All India Minority Forum forcing Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee to seek the help of the Army in controlling the violence. The authorities are also considering imposing curfew in the affected areas at night.
Sources in the Army headquarters here said that two columns (about 180 personnel) have already left to stage flag marches in areas which witnessed violence. An Army column comprises about 90 men.
Emerging from a high-level meeting with the Chief Minister, West Bengal Home secretary PR Roy told reporters that the government sought six columns of Army including four columns which would be on the standby.
He said that the Army would work in tandem with the state police and stage flag marches in areas in central Kolkata.
Police said that the Forum activists attacked the cops with brickbats and glass bottles which forced the police to lob tear gas shells and make lathicharge to chase away the attackers in various central Kolkata areas.
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Even after the three-hour shutdown, more people joined in and continued to attack the police in which Deputy Commissioner, South, Javed Shamim was injured.
The shutdown was called to press the demand for cancellation of visa of Taslima Nasreen and to protest against the Nandigram violence.
The Home secretary said that the government was contemplating imposing curfew in the violence-hit areas at night.
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