KOLKATA: A total of six FIRs have been registered by the Kolkata Police over rowdyism during the joint rally of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) involving the youth and the students' wings of different Left parties over the NEET examination paper leak protest on Friday. According to the police, several criminals had infiltrated the students' protest and they are mainly responsible for the hooliganism that took place that day.
Of the six FIRs, one had been registered suo motu by the city police at Hare Street Police Station under Central Division of Kolkata.
The remaining have been registered on the basis of five separate complaints about alleged incidents of manhandling of media persons by a section of the protestors on Saturday in which some journalists and photo-journalists were allegedly injured.
West Bengal Chief Minister, Suvendu Adhikari, had already condemned the incident strongly on Friday and assured that strict action would be initiated against the culprits. Meanwhile, the police are on the alert after the incident.
“Several footages have already been examined. Several footages have been collected. Several criminals have also been identified to have assembled among the student protesters and they are mainly responsible for the rowdyism and hooliganism on Friday. In the meantime, cases have been registered with the police under multiple sections,” a city police official said.
On Friday afternoon, the entire Esplanade turned into a virtual battlefield amid the protest program. The protest programme was initially convened by the students’ wings of the different Left Parties and later CJP also joined the protest after the latter’s plea for a separate rally against the NEET examination paper leak was declined permission by the Kolkata Police.
Bricks, stones, glass-bottles, bamboo sticks, and shoes were hurled by a section of the protesters towards the cops and even the media persons covering the vents. The police had to resort to baton-charge and firing of teargas shells to control and disperse the unruly mob.
Many journalists were seriously injured in the melee.
The Chief Minister went to the hospital where the media persons were admitted and enquired about their medical conditions. At that point in time, he also assured of strict action against those responsible for the rowdyism. The Chief Minister also issued a social media statement condemning the attack on the cops and media persons.
“Several injured Journalists are currently undergoing treatment at SSKM Hospital. I visited the Hospital to meet the injured Journalists and personally enquired about their health. I have issued directions to ensure that they receive the best treatment possible. Strict legal action will be taken against all the culprits involved. I have asked CP @KolkataPolice to identify the miscreants and initiate legal action against them” the Chief Minister’s social media post read.
--IANS
