On Mamata’s hot trail,journos run into cops

Later in the day,one of the journalists too filed an FIR,alleging they were harassed without reason.

According to a senior police official,the incident occurred around 1 am when Banerjee was on her way home from Salt Lake,where she had gone to the residence of Suvaprasanna to celebrate “Bijoya Sammiloni”. The Railway Minister was accompanied by Mukul Roy,the Union Minister of State for Shipping,and singer Nachiketa Sen,among others.

According to sources,when her convoy neared the BH block,it was found that a white Ambassador with a press sticker on it had been trailing them. The car was soon intercepted by Banerjee’s security guards,who asked its three occupants,including a woman,to show their identity cards after they claimed they were journalists from 24 Ghanta.

“After the persons sitting inside the car failed to show their identity cards,we went to the police station and lodged an FIR. We have informed the Union Home ministry and the state Home Department about the incident. We have taken a serious note of it. After the incident,we called up senior officials of the district police. The force reached the spot and escorted us,” Roy said.

The FIR from the Trinamool side was lodged by Purnendu Bose,the state secretary of the Indian National Trinamool Trade Union Congress (INTTUC),at the Bidhannagar (East) police station.

A police officer said,“While interrogation,the accused claimed they belong to a television channel backed by the CPM and this is the reason why they were deliberately harassed by Banerjee and her associates.”

Soma Das,one of the occupants of the Ambassador car and a journalist,later lodged a counter FIR at the Bidhannagar (East) police station.

Chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee said he had no knowledge of the matter. Surojit Kar Purokayasta,the Inspector General of Police (Law and Order),said the matter was being looked into by the district police.

“We have received a report on the incident. But I cannot divulge the details. We have asked the district police to look into the matter,” said state Home Secretary Ardhendu Sen.