Anish Khan Death Case: Two Personnel Of Amta Police Station Arrested, Says CM Mamata Banerjee

Anish Khan Death Case: The West Bengal government has formed a special investigation team (SIT) to probe the case.

Students of Aliah University protest in Kolkata (PTI)

New Delhi: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said two personnel of Amta Police Station in Howrah district were arrested on Wednesday in connection with the death of student activist Anish Khan.

Addressing a press conference on the case, which has led to widespread protests in Kolkata, Mamata Banerjee said, "The two personnel were arrested as they could have influenced the investigation in the case."

READ | Anish Khan Death Case: Students Clash With Police During Protests In Kolkata, Several Detained

"We don't know the actual incident but we will find out the truth very soon. No laxity will be tolerated. The government is tough," PTI quoted Banerjee as saying.

The arrested are home guard Kashinath Bera and civic volunteer Pritam Bhattacharya of the Amta police station. They were arrested after interrogation, Director-General of Police Manoj Malviya told reporters. They have been booked under IPC section 302 (murder).

The father of Anish Khan has alleged that four people came to their house on the night of February 18 donning police and civic volunteer uniforms and pushed his son off the third floor.

The family said the men in uniform had allegedly held Anish Khan's father Salem Khan at gunpoint after barging into the house.

The Mamata Banerjee government has formed a special investigation team (SIT) to probe the death, but Khan's family has sought a CBI investigation.

The DGP said Anish Khan's family was obstructing the SIT investigation "at the behest of some political parties in the area", PTI reported.

"The family did not hand over the mobile phone of the victim to the SIT. They are not allowing us to collect important materials but still, we have managed to make a breakthrough. We will achieve more success after custodial interrogation of the two arrested," PTI quoted Malviya as saying.

On Tuesday, clashes took place between police personnel and students of Aliah University in College Street area of Kolkata during a protest march over the death of Anish Khan.

Mamata Banerjee lashed out at Left students' unions for causing inconvenience to students. "I have no issue with democratic protest. I had led so many protests in past," she said.

"But, if someone obstructs roads for political violence, if someone causes inconvenience to students returning from schools and colleges, office-goers and daily businesses, if someone's movement forces people to miss flights, that is a criminal offence and not a democratic movement," she said.

(With PTI inputs)