West bengal police

No sooner had the dates for the rural polls to be held in West Bengal next month announced, a war of words began between the state’s ruling party and the opposition parties. Among the most contentious issues were whether central paramilitary forces would be deployed to ensure a peaceful polling process or whether the state’s police force was adequately equipped. The ruling party insisted on the latter. The Opposition demanded the former. In fact, the very next day of the announcement, BJP and Congress filed petitions in the Calcutta High Court asking for central forces. “State police is certainly not enough,” exclaimed CPIM’s Sujan Chakraborty. “It will fall way short of the number of booths the personnel have to man during the polls.”Currently, the West Bengal police comprise 79,032 personnel. The estimated number of booths during the upcoming polls is expected to not only exceed that figure but exceed by a large number, according to Chakraborty. There are 3,317 Gram Panchayats in the three-tier rural-government system in West Bengal spread over 23 districts. The total number of Gram Panchayat (the village-level governing body) seats that will be contested is 63,229. The total number of Panchayat Samity (the block-level governing body) seats that will be contested is 9,730 and the total number of Zilla Parishad (district-level governing body) seats that will be contested is 928. In West Bengal, the Panchayat Polls are given a great deal of importance and are even consider...

Image Source : PTI West Bengal: Clashes erupt between TMC, ISF Workers in Bhangar over panchayat polls Another clash broke out between leaders of the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Indian Secular Front (ISF) in West Bengal on the fourth day of the filing of nominations for the upcoming Panchayat polls. During the brawl that took place at Bhangar in the South 24 Parganas district of West Bengal between the ruling TMC and the ISF, a number of cars were damaged, and bombs were thrown in the presence of the police. The Indian Secular Front (ISF) claimed earlier on Tuesday that members of their party who went to submit nominations for the upcoming West Bengal panchayat elections were attacked by TMC goons. He stated, "When our party workers went to file nominations, they were beaten up by TMC goons." Our party members were attacked by TMC goons: ISF The Indian Secular Front (ISF) MLA stated, when asked about the security situation in Bengal, that the opposition is being beaten everywhere in the state in preparation for the upcoming panchayat elections. He added that each booth should have a special observer appointed by the Election Commission and that the local administration and police should provide security. "In West Bengal, the Opposition is being beaten up everywhere. So every place has become sensitive," he stated, as quoted by ANI, urging central forces to ensure Bengal's security. "State police is not sufficient in ensuring everyone's security. People will not...

Kolkata: Calcutta High Court on Wednesday directed the CBI to take over from police the murder probe of Raju Jha, alleged operator of a coal syndicate, in West Bengal's Bardhaman district on April 1. Jha was gunned down by two assailants inside his SUV on NH-19 in Shaktigarh. Justice Rajasekhar Mantha directed the CBI to probe the case within four months. The court took on record a CBI report which said the petitioner, Narendra Kharka, is a chargesheeted accused in a coal scam case being investigated by the agency. The report also said Rajesh Kumar Jha, alias Raju Jha, was not an accused in any case being probed by the agency and was allegedly operating a coal syndicate between 2015 and 2020. The court also noted the CBI report which said that one of the persons who escaped the attack was Abdul Latif, an accused in a cattle smuggling case being probed by the agency. The counsel for the West Bengal government submitted that police had made substantial progress in the probe and were on the verge of wrapping up the case. Justice Mantha observed there is some merit in the submissions of the CBI that the FIR registered by Shaktigarh police station on April 1 "is vitally linked to the existing investigations being conducted by the CBI in the coal and cattle scams."

Amid reports of widespread violence in the nomination filing process for the panchayat polls and opposition’s allegations against the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC), West Bengal Director General (DG) Manoj Malviya on Tuesday called for an emergency meeting of all senior officials, asking them to arrest all culprits and ensure the elections are conducted peacefully. The meeting was attended by all superintendents of police, commissioners and senior Inspector General, Additional DG rank officers. An officer told News18: “He clearly stated that Bengal officers are very competent and he believes that officers will do their duty and arrest the culprits. The message was clear that we can arrest irrespective of the political colour.” Panchayat polls will be held on July 8. Violence has been reported in various districts, from Bhangar to Domkal in Murshidabad. Bhangar saw chaos on Tuesday and Wednesday, with clashes between the TMC and Indian Secular Front (ISF). According to locals, in Bhangar, the police, too, were attacked. Many in administration believe the meeting called by the DG is significant as questions have been raised on the police role from various areas. CPIM Sujan Chakraborty told News18: “All these meetings will have no effect. This is just an eyewash. On ground, the police help the TMC.” The Opposition has made allegations against the police force and Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) Suvendhu Adhikary said the police are working in a partisan manner. Sources in pol...