Thaindian News

Kolkata, Dec 2 (IANS) The Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) Friday demanded a judicial inquiry into the police firing in West Bengal’s South 24 Parganas - which claimed two lives - and asked for a “stable job” for family members of those killed.

“A stable job should be given to the family members of those killed in this unfortunate incident. Various police officers have given different accounts of the incident. Only through a judicial inquiry the truth can be revealed,” former state minister and CPI-M leader Abdur Rezzak Mollah said.

He, along with several other lawmakers from the party, will meet Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to give their account of the incident.

“We are slated to meet the chief minister Dec 9 and there we will give our account of the incident,” added Mollah.

The CPI-M will also support a 12-hour shutdown called by the people of Magrahat in South 24 Parganas to protest against “police excesses”, said Mollah.

Two people were killed and 22 others, including 16 policemen, injured as clashes between a mob and security forces over illegal electric connections in Magrahat in Thursday led to police opening fire.

Mollah and other leaders also criticised Banerjee for blaming the CPI-M for the incident.

“She already has started to blame us. But she must know that we are neither at the government nor at the panchayat or block level. Then how can we get the police to fire. It is they (Trinamool Congress) who are the culprits,” said Mollah.

Meanwhile, Trinamool Congress’ ally both at the centre and the state, Congress also took a swipe at Banerjee.

“I thought police were trigger-happy only during the (erstwhile) Left Front regime. But this incident shows they still continue to be so. What happened is unfortunate. The policemen who fired must be removed immediately,” state Congress chief Pradip Bhattacharya said.