Kolkata: The West Bengal government on Tuesday decided to take action according to the law against army officers and personnel who allegedly ransacked a police station and assaulted policemen in the heart of the city.
Chief Secretary Amit Kiran Deb said they received a report from Kolkata Police and on its basis, they told the Defence Ministry that they needed its cooperation.
"We are sending a letter to the Centre asking for its cooperation so that we can proceed with the criminal cases against the army men. We want to take action against them. Simultaneously
the army may also initiate departmental action against them," Chief Secretary Amit Kiran Deb told reporters after a high level meeting.
A group of soldiers in uniform on Monday vandalised the Park Street police station, beat up and injured 11 policemen and forcibly freed a major and a captain who were arrested for allegedly misbehaving with a woman while drunk on New Year's eve.
Deb, who reviewed the situation at a meeting with Home Secretary P R Roy and police chief A K Bohra, said the army will also institute departmental proceedings against those involved.
The army said it has taken a 'serious view' of the incident and a court of inquiry has been ordered, which will take all aspects into view.
Roy said police had registered two cases in connection with the incident. Police did not get into a confrontation with the rampaging soldiers to avoid bloodshed, Deb said.
He described the case as "isolated" and that he still held the army in esteem.
Deb added that the state government would not meet any official of the army's Eastern Command here because the personnel and officers involved in the incident did not belong to it.
Comments
0 comment