Interim report names 16 killed; 4-member MHA team in Kolkata

An interim report on the post-poll violence naming 16 persons who were killed in different parts of West Bengal was submitted to the Union home ministry, even as the four-member central team landed in Kolkata on Thursday. Home ministry officials said the team, led by additional secretary Govind Mohan, will “assess the ground situation” .

The team members are likely to visit several areas in the city as well as South 24 Parganas, Godkhali, Sunderbans and Jaggadal, where incidents of violence were reported after declaration of results on May 2. They will be accompanied by central security forces and submit their preliminary reports by Friday. The team leader, Govind Mohan, will also meet Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar on Friday.

On its arrival, the team sought details of those killed and injured during the violence, first information reports (FIRs) registered and suspects arrested or detained by the police. Families of the victims alleged that the local police did not act on their complaints despite threats. “We are still collecting the details. The local authorities have not been forthcoming with details so far,” an official, who is part of the central team, said on condition of anonymity.


Banerjee said on Thursday that 16 people lost their lives in post-poll violence in the state.

The home ministry sought a report from Governor Dhankhar on the “law and order” situation in the state. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had called Dhankhar on Tuesday and enquired about the “alarming situation” in the state.