Mamata wakes up to Tehatta, Loba

Judicial probe ordered into firing.

Two weeks after police opened fire on a mob at Tehatta in Nadia district killing one villager, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday ordered a judicial probe into the incident.

The Chief Minister, who had earlier supported the Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) Shailesh's action of ordering fire saying it was an act of self-defence, today said she never supported firing by the police. "I never supported police firing. But at Tehatta, the SDPO told that he had to fire in self defence. That is why I have ordered a judicial inquiry into the incident," said Mamata.

"But I also need to know why the incident took place and why the SDPO was deserted by the OC of Tehatta," she added.

Stating that she wanted the investigation to be transparent and impartial, she has ordered removal of the SDO, the SDPO and the OC from Tehatta.

Justice Dilip Nayek will head the inquiry commission.

Mamata said she would visit Tehatta soon to hand over the compensation of Rs 2 lakh to the family of the deceased. "I had sent Mukul Roy (a senior Trinamool leader) to the spot to see the condition. We have announced that the victim's family will get a compensation of Rs 2 lakh and a member of the family will be given a job. I will go to Tehatta and hand over the compensation to them," she added.

On November 15, police opened fire on a group of villagers staging a protest after a dispute between two communities over a plot of land. One person was killed and nine others, including eight policemen, were injured in the clashes that followed.

According to the villagers, they had put up a blockade at Houlia More in Tehatta demanding permission to organise Jagadhatri Puja at a particular venue. When the police failed to disperse the protesters, the SDPO along with a few police personnel climbed on to the roof of a house and fired at them, they said. Police, however, claimed that they fired in self-defence as the mob had entered the police station premises.

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