Amid the post-poll violence and vandalism in West Bengal after the BJP’s win, Kolkata Police Commissioner Ajay Nanda said on Wednesday that JCB machines cannot be used in processions and warned of legal action against owners who rent them out for such purposes, according to a report by Anandabazar Patrika.
Nanda also urged citizens to contact the police in case of trouble, adding that 65 companies of security personnel have been deployed across the city, the report stated.
This comes just hours after Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar directed authorities to enforce “zero tolerance” toward post-poll violence in the state and to swiftly arrest those involved in incidents of vandalism and clashes, with officials confirming that action was underway on Wednesday.
Two persons were killed in alleged incidents of post-poll violence in the state on Tuesday, besides scores of party offices being ransacked.
What did the Kolkata Police Commissioner say?
Kolkata Police Commissioner Ajay Nanda said that prior permission is mandatory for holding victory processions. He warned that if any attempt is made to create an atmosphere of violence or fear, the police will coordinate with central forces and take necessary action, Anandabazar Patrika reported.
Nanda noted, “We have arrested 80 people. Weapons have been recovered.”
The official also noted that the security arrangements have been reduced at the house of outgoing Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
Earlier on Tuesday, police personnel were seen taking down guardrails near her residence at 30B Harish Chatterjee Street.
Another official said a broader review of security cover for leaders of the outgoing TMC government is underway, PTI reported. “We are reassessing security arrangements based on present requirements,” he said, naming leaders such as Firhad Hakim, Aroop Biswas and Sujit Bose among those under review, PTI reported.
“Security deployment is periodically evaluated and adjusted in accordance with the prevailing situation,” he said.
The assembly elections were held in West Bengal in two phases — 23 and 29 April. The counting of votes took place on 4 May. The BJP sealed a landslide victory with 207 seats in the 294-member assembly, ending the Trinamool Congress’s uninterrupted 15-year rule.
Miscreants fire gunshots at police in Bamangheri
Amid ongoing post-poll violence and clashes in West Bengal, miscreants allegedly opened fire on a police team accompanied by central forces during a patrol, according to local reports.
The incident occurred in the Bamangheri area (Ward No. 14) under the Sarberia-Agarhati Gram Panchayat, within the jurisdiction of Nazat Police Station. ANI reported, citing sources, that the Officer-in-Charge of Nazat Police Station, a constable from the Rajbari Outpost, and a woman police officer sustained gunshot injuries. Two personnel from the central forces were also wounded.
All the injured were first taken to Minakha Rural Hospital and later shifted to different hospitals in Kolkata for further treatment. During the investigation, authorities also recovered a bag containing bombs from the site.
Here’s what Mamata Banerjee said
Alleging that the West Bengal assembly election outcome was “not a people’s mandate but a conspiracy”, Banerjee refused to step down as chief minister, creating a constitutional grey area and sparking a political standoff in the state.
Banerjee dismissed the outcome as “engineered” and asserted that her party was fighting the Election Commission, not the BJP. The TMC could only manage 80 seats.
“Why should I step down? We have not lost. The mandate has been looted. Where does the question of resignation arise?” she said, doubling down on her refusal to vacate the office.
“The question of my resignation does not arise, as we were defeated not by a public mandate but by a conspiracy…I did not lose, I will not go to Lok Bhavan,” she asserted at a packed press conference, her tone oscillating between grievance and combativeness.
Banerjee, who contested from the seat, lost to BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari by a margin of 15,105 votes and subsequently raised questions about the election process and the role of the Election Commission.
As West Bengal faces a potential political transition, Banerjee’s refusal to concede in the usual manner has added an unusual dimension to what is typically a routine democratic process.
(With inputs from agencies)
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