West Bengal post-poll violence probe: NHRC teams in the state again

Three NHRC teams would be visiting various districts of the state, including capital Kolkata as well as Howrah, South 24 Parganas, North 24 Parganas and Bankura, in order to probe the allegations of violence that apparently took place after the West Bengal Assembly polls

NHRC team reaches Kolkata airport

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) team, set up on the orders of the Calcutta High Court to probe post-poll violence cases in West Bengal, has once again landed in Bengal. The group reached the Kolkata airport early this morning (July 7) and according to sources, three teams would be visiting various towns and districts of the state, including capital Kolkata as well as Howrah, South 24 Parganas, North 24 Parganas and Bankura. The team arrived in an Air Flight.

There have been several such visits over the past few weeks. Atif Rasheed, vice-chairman of National Commission for Minorities & member of team by NHRC to look into post-poll violence also took to Twitter on July 6 and urged victms to meet him at Malda New Circuit House with their written complaints.

WB post-poll violence victims or those who migrated from their native places can meet me tomorrow at Malda New Circuit House with their written complaints: Atif Rasheed, vice-chairman of National Commission for Minorities & member of team by NHRC to look into post-poll violence — ANI (@ANI) July 6, 2021

On June 21, the Calcutta High Court’s five-judge bench headed by acting chief justice Rajesh Bindal dismissed a petition by the state government seeking recall of the June 18 order that asked the NHRC to probe allegations of human rights violation during alleged violence after the recent assembly polls.

The NHRC constituted a seven-member panel headed by commission’s member Rajiv Jain to probe incidents of violence that took place after the assembly polls. As per the orders of the High Court, the NHRC Committee will examine all cases of post-poll violence in West Bengal, complaints about which have already been received in the NHRC or which may be received.

Certain sporadic instances of post poll violence had reportedly broken out in the state after the Assembly election results were annouced on May 2. The BJP has accused TMC cadres of carrying out atrocities while the ruling party has blamed BJP workers of mischief. On June 29, an NHRC team was reportedly attacked in West Bengal's Jadavpur when it was investigating alleged incidents of post-poll violence, news agency ANI reported.