Bengal Ram Navami violence: Calcutta HC orders NIA probe

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

Hearing a plea filed by Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari, a division bench presided by Acting Chief Justice TS Sivagnanam directed Bengal Police to hand over all the necessary documents related to investigation to the NIA within two weeks.

"We are of the considered opinion that no purpose would be served by directing the State Police to register cases against those, who used acid bottles and petrol bombs etc under the Explosive Substances Act. The matter has gone ahead and beyond that stage. Let the NIA probe now," the Bar and Bench cited the court order.

In the PIL, BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari sought an NIA probe into the violence, during which it was alleged that bombs exploded.

Notably, the six-member fact-finding Committee, probing the Bengal violence revealed that the riots during the Ram Navami procession were pre-planned, orchestrated and instigated. The panel also sought NIA probe into the violence.

A riot-like situation broke out in West Bengal's Howrah and Hoogly during the Ram Navami celebrations on March 30. Videos that went viral on social media platforms showed several vehicles set on fire and public property being vandalised amid heavy police deployment in the area.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee attacked the BJP for orchestrating communal riots in the state by hiring goons from outside.

The BJP hit back at Mamata Banerjee. "TMC is lying because it was not the wrong route. There was permission till Howrah ground and this was the only route to go there," state BJP President Sukanta Majumdar told ANI.

Meanwhile, MHA had sought a detailed report from the West Bengal government on violence that broke out between two groups during a Ram Navami procession in Howrah.