Kolkata, July 26 -- The city police have arrested three more individuals in connection with the brutal assault on media personnel during the NEET protest rally, bringing the total number of arrests to 14.
The latest arrests were executed late on Saturday night by the Anti-Rowdy Squad (ARS) of the Kolkata Police. The operation targeted suspects who allegedly turned on journalists covering a massive demonstration at Dorina Crossing in Esplanade on Friday. All 14 arrested were produced at the Bankshall Court on Sunday and have been remanded to police custody for two days.
The underlying protest, held on Friday, turned violent when a crowd clashed with police. Amid the chaos, 'rioters' targeted on-duty media personnel, injuring at least six journalists. Senior police officials clarified that the violence was not driven by student demonstrators, stating that "none of them is a student. They are all troublemongers who were present at the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) rally and engaged in vandalism."
The three newly apprehended suspects have been identified as Shahbaz Khan, Sheikh Mohammad Salman Hossain, and Mohammad Johiruddin Mal. Their arrests follow a major breakthrough late on Saturday night when police intercepted two suspects on the Durgapur Expressway near Andal while trying to leave the state. The state government has promised swift retribution for the attacks. Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari condemned the incident in the state Assembly and announced that the state will invoke the newly enacted West Bengal Public Safety and Control of Anti-Social Activities Act-commonly known as the Goonda Act-against the perpetrators. The Kolkata Police have registered seven FIRs, six of which specifically focus on the assaults on journalists.
Investigators are currently reviewing CCTV footage and digital media clips to identify and locate 70 suspects.
Meanwhile, police while scanning the antecedents of the arrested persons, police found that one of the arrested accused, identified as Mohammad Afroz of Metiabruz, was involved in an Arms Act case earlier. He was also connected with the TMC. Afroz was even spotted walking in the campaign rally of TMC MLA Khalek Molla. Police have also spotted several pictures of Afroz holding firearms on his social media handles. However, it is not clear whether those firearms are real or fake.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.