On Tuesday, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) ordered the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to take over the investigation into the case of Mominpore violence that erupted on October 9. The case was previously being investigated by the West Bengal Police. The NIA now has re-registered an FIR and has initiated an investigation into the matter.
According to the reports, the MHA is said to have directed the NIA to take over the probe after it received a report from the state government. Also, Suvendu Adhikari, Leader of Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly had asked the MHA to deploy central paramilitary forces in the violence-hit parts of the state and had demanded a probe by NIA.
“The Hindu community has come under attack in the Khidirpore Mominpur area of Kolkata on the eve of Lakshmi Puja. The State Government has already meekly surrendered in front of the wrath of the goons, who have taken over the Ekbalpur Police Station. I urge you to kindly intervene at this hour and deploy Central forces such as the CAPF (Central Armed Police Forces) so that the spark can be extinguished before it turns into a wildfire”, Adhikari had said in the letter written to the MHA.
On October 9, the Hindu community in the Mominpore locality of Kolkata in West Bengal came under attack as they geared up to celebrate the annual Lakshmi Puja. According to BJP Chief of West Bengal, Sukanta Majumdar, the Islamists had vandalized bikes and shops belonging to Hindus at Maila Depot in Mominpore. He also shared videos in which bikes and several shops could be spotted in damaged condition.
Majumdar in the series of tweets further added that the Hindu community was forced to flee after their houses came under attack in Mayurbhanj in Kolkata airport. “Police is silently watching. There is no law and order. The situation is serious but CM Mamata Banerjee is watching Hindus suffer,” he emphasized.
The Police mentioned that the violence escalated after the Islamists surrounded the Ekbalpur Police Station. Several police officers including Deputy Commissioner of Police Soumya Roy were severely injured in the violence. Roy was reportedly hit by a crude bomb.
Earlier, the Calcutta High Court had directed the West Bengal DGP to form a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate the case. The High Court further ordered the Kolkata Police Commissioner to take reasonable measures to prevent additional violence in the state’s capital city. The Kolkata Police then arrested around 57 people in the case and has now handed over copies of the five FIRs registered in the city. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Wednesday re-registered an FIR in the case and has taken over the probe in the case.