The Hindu : National : Police action not proper: Buddhadeb

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jun 11, 2008
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

National

National

Police action not proper: Buddhadeb

Special Correspondent

Kolkata: There is need for “alertness” against Maoist activities. “We are all concerned about their activities in Andhra Pradesh, Orissa and even in some areas in this State bordering Jharkhand where they have a presence,” Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee said here on Tuesday.

“Their activities that include killing of individuals can in no way be supported,” he said. But neither was it proper for the police to try raiding a house rented by some students of Jadavpur University in the south of the city on June 7 following a tip-off that suspected women Maoist activists had taken shelter there, he said.

The police action was met with resistance from human rights activists and local people.

“What the police had done that day was not proper,” Mr Bhattacharjee said. “Whatever might be the students’ political persuasion or party affiliation the police would have done better had they not gone there,” Mr. Bhattacharjee added.

“I gave instructions that the police withdraw from the place immediately I was informed of the incident,” the Chief Minister said.

But he also referred to incidents of violence involving Maoists within the campus of the university in the past. “We do not want to have a repeat of those days again.”

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

National