A vacation division bench of Calcutta High Court headed by Justice Joymalya Bagchi on Wednesday directed the state government to constitute a special investigating team (SIT) to probe the clashes in Kolkata’s Mominpore-Ekbalpore areas since Sunday night.
Police have said the situation has been under control since Monday.
The division bench said the director-general of state police, Manoj Malviya, and Kolkata police commissioner Vineet Goyal would have to jointly monitor the SIT probe.
The DG and CP will have to submit reports before the court on the probe after two weeks.
The bench asked the SIT to ascertain the quantum of loss of property during the violence.
The bench asked the state to take positive steps so common people, who suffered property loss because of the violence could get adequate compensation.
Justice Bagchi asked the people who have incurred losses to lodge FIRs with the local police.
The bench “especially” asked the Kolkata police commissioner to ensure that “proper security could be provided to the people of every religion”.
The order followed two separate petitions before the division bench seeking an NIA probe into the incident and immediate deployment of central forces in the area.
The division bench, however, refused to accept the prayers. The prayer for the deployment of central forces in the area was also turned down.
The officer in charge ofEkbalpore police station said several complaints of violence and arson had been lodged with the police station and that 42 people had been arrested.
The lawyer appearing for the petitioners said that explosions had also taken place during the violence. At this Justice Bagchi, the senior judge of the bench said: “Why was the NIA not informed.”
According to Section 6 of the National Security Act, the respective state government has to intimate the Centre about an explosion in the state and the Centre should inform the NIA immediately.”
