Calcutta High Court Directs NIA To Probe Ram Navami Violence In Bengal

Calcutta High Court on Thursday ordered a probe by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) into Ram Navami violence in West Bengal.

Violent clashes had broken out in parts of West Bengal during Ram Navami celebrations. ( Image Source :PTI )

New Delhi: Calcutta High Court on Thursday ordered a probe by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) into the violence that broke out in Howrah and Dalkhola districts and other parts of West Bengal during Ram Navami celebrations.

A bench led by Acting Chief Justice TS Sivagnanam ordered state police to hand over case papers to the Central government so that NIA can commence its probe.

Earlier this month, the Calcutta High Court sought an action taken report from the West Bengal government on the clashes during the Ram Navami rally in Howrah by April 5.

The development comes in the wake of a series of incidents of communal violence reported in Bengal's Howrah and Hooghly districts on the occasion of Ram Navami on March 30-April 1.

Visuals showed several vehicles engulfed in flames and heavy police deployment, including riot control force, in the area. A police van and a car with their glasses smashed were also seen in the videos tweeted by ANI.

Meanwhile, on April 10, the interim report of the Fact-Finding Committee headed by Patna HC Justice L Narsimha Reddy (Retd) on the 'violation of Human Rights' during riots on the occasion of Ram Navami in West Bengal said that the "riots were pre-planned, orchestrated and instigated."

"Riots were pre-planned, orchestrated and instigated," stated the interim report of the Fact-Finding Committee headed by Justice L Narsimha Reddy (Retd), as quoted by news agency ANI.

"There was a concerted effort to attack the Ram Navami procession. The rally started peacefully. At certain localities, police deployment was there. Once the rioters started throwing stones, the police coolly walked away. At residential localities, rioters entered forcefully entered places and broke the glass windows of the residents of the particular section who were busy celebrating Ram Navami," Retired Patna High Court Justice L Narasimha Reddy told ABP News.

"Later on, police came and lathi-charged people who were there," he added.