Guv calls DGP for report on Barrackpore

West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar Tuesday called the state director general of police to the Raj Bhavan here for an update of the situation in violence-hit Barrackpore where its MP Arjun Singh was injured in a clash, sources in the governor's office said.

The meeting with Director General of Police Virendra lasted for more than 45 minutes, the sources told PTI.

The DGP gave Dhankhar a detailed report of the situation in Brrackpore, the sources said.

Dhankar had cut short his stay in New Delhi and rushed back on Monday to visit injured Singh, a BJP MP, in a city hospital.

He also expressed concern over the law and order situation in the state and that he was pained to see the violence - his first remark on the law and order situation in the state since assuming office on July 30.

 

"The state of West Bengal needs peaceful atmosphere. There is no need of violence and it (the state) must be on the path of progress," he had said after visiting the lawmaker.

"While holding this constitutional position (of governor) it is my object that we believe in the rule of law, in peace and avoid violence ... As a governor I am a worried man at the moment ... I am pained to see the violence. We must have a system where everyone acts decorously in a disciplined manner and without violence," he had said.

Bhatpara and Kankinara areas under Barrackpore constituency in North 24 Parganas district had been in the news after the Lok Sabha polls for repeated clashes between BJP and the ruling TMC.

Violence was witnessed at Kankinara area on Sunday over capture of a party office. Alleging that it was the TMC which had captured the BJP office, Singh had claimed that he was struck in the head by Barrackpore police commissioner Manoj Verma when he along with his supporters were holding a "peaceful protest".

BJP had on Monday observed a 12-hour bandh call in Barrackpore constituency against the alleged attack on its leader.

The West Bengal Police had, however, said the violence at Kankinara was "well planned" to disrupt peace and held the BJP MP responsible for carrying out attacks on police personnel.