HC orders police protection to 303 victims of violence in Bengal

The Calcutta High Court on Monday ordered police protection for 303 victims of the alleged post-poll violence in West Bengal after Assembly elections last year. All the victims in the alleged post-poll violence case who are still homeless need to be repatriated soon, and state police should ensure that they can live their life in peace, the Chief Justice's Division Bench of the Calcutta High Court directed. Bengal Police DG and IG have been asked to ensure the safety of all those who have complained of being left homeless due to violence after the Trinamool Congress emerged victorious in the state assembly polls. Advocate Priyanka Tibrewal, who had filed the petition in the post-poll violence case pending before the High Court, submitted detailed information about the homeless BJP workers before the bench. She claimed that so far, 303 homeless people have filed affidavits before the court, while many more victims have not come forward. She demanded the formation of a high-powered committee consisting members of the National Human Rights Commission and State Human Rights Commission

.The Calcutta High Court had directed the NHRC to constitute a committee to examine all cases of human rights violations in the state during alleged post-poll violence. After the NHRC submitted its report, the high court ordered a CBI probe into grievous cases in the alleged post-poll violence. The Court also ordered the formation of a special investigation team (SIT) to probe all other offences related to the alleged post-poll violence. Both investigations are being monitored by the court. The TMC-led West Bengal government had legally challenged both the NHRC report as well as the CBI probe ordered by the Calcutta High Court.