'Police Must Eradicate Sense Of Fear Among Locals': Calcutta High Court Seeks State's Report On Communal Clashes In Beldanga

The Calcutta High Court on Tuesday called for reports from the State government on alleged communal violence which has broken out in Beldanga in Murshidabad district, after a clash between two religious communities escalated into riotous conditions during the celebration of Kartick Puja.

A division bench of Justices Harish Tandon and Hiranmay Bhattacharya directed the state to submit a report on the extent of the violence, as well as to provide medical assistance to the injured, restore the displaced and to maintain a vigil in the area to regain public condifidence.

It also stated that further prayers by the petitioner's for inter alia the deployment of central forces would be considered by the regular bench before which the matter has been listed tomorrow.

It was submitted by the petitioners that the action of the police authorities was lopsided and the real culprits have been spared, which has percolated a sense in the mind of a particular religious community that their safety and security are at stake.

It was submitted that central forces would have to be deployed in the area to ensure that the people get a sense of security.

Advocate General submitted that a large number of police personnel were deployed in the area as soon as reports of the communal clashes came to light. ASG argued that central forces could be deployed in the area if the court so ordered.

The safety and security of the citizenry of the State is a primary duty of the State administration and such conduct should not only be impartial and fair but seem to be so without any discrimination nor should permeate any sense of such discrimination. The sense of insecurity or the perception of threat to their life at their residence cannot be accepted and it is the duty of the police administration to ensure eradication of such sense amongst the people of the locality, the Court held.

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