CM asks police to win back people’s confidence

In the meeting,the chief minister urged the police to try and restore the confidence of the people at large. He also asked the top officers to sensitise the forces so that “they can go beyond their call of duty,if so required”.

Home Secretary G D Gautama,Chief Secretary Samar Ghosh,DGP N Mukherjee and Kolkata Police Commissioner Gautam Mohan Chakrabarti were present at the meeting at Writers’ Building today morning.

Speaking about the government’s plan to tackle the situation,Gautama said night patrolling will be intensified in areas like bus stands and railway stations across the state and a special drive will be launched by police in collaboration with the Excise department for dismantling all illicit liquor dens and illegal bars.

Besides,the DGP and the CP will send directives to their respective police forces to be sensitive enough to go beyond their call of duty while dealing with crimes. This is being done particularly in view of the fact that even though the girl banged at the gates of Additional SP’s bungalow and pleaded with them for help while her brother was being killed,nobody paid any heed.

A constable Nitya Gopal Karmakar,who was on duty at the bungalow at that time,has been suspended. North 24 Parganas SP Rahul Srivastava along with DIG CID S N Gupta today met the Home Secretary and apprised him of the situation at Barasat which today witnessed a 12-hour bandh called by the SUCI. The Home Secretary also said the report filed by the District Magistrate did not mention any incident of eve-teasing. “Rinku works at a private firm in Kolkata and comes back home late in the evening and it has been her routine for years. The area is known for chain snatching but what actually happened on that day is now under investigation,” Gautama said.

Asked why it was only a constable who was punished the home secretary said: “Preliminary reports suggested the constable was at fault for he did not respond to the girl’s request for help. But action will be taken against the guilty.”