NHRC report on Bengal post-poll violence recommends CBI probe, slams Mamata govt

Kolkata: Asserting that the situation in West Bengal is a “manifestation of law of ruler instead of rule of law”, an NHRC committee probing alleged incidents of post-poll violence in the state, in a report placed before the Calcutta High Court, has recommended a CBI probe into “grievous offences like murder and rape”. The committee, which was formed by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) chairman on a direction by a five- judge bench of the high court, also said that these cases should be tried outside the state. “The spatio-temporal expanse of violent incidents in the state of West Bengal reflects the appalling apathy of the state government towards plight of victims. “The committee has recommended that grievous offences like murder, rape, etc should be handed over to the CBI for investigation and these cases should be tried outside the state,” the report, submitted before the court on June 13, said. A bunch of PILs filed before the high court alleged that people were subjected to assault, made to flee homes, and property were destroyed as a result of post-poll violence in Bengal. “This was retributive violence by supporters of the ruling party against supporters of the main Opposition party,” the NHRC committee said in its scathing remarks.