State Home Secretary Ardhendu Sen’s comment on Tuesday that administration lacks “resources” to put an end to political clashes in the state has few takers in the state police. Instead, senior police officers attribute it to intervention by local political leaders.

Director General of Police Sujit Sarkar refused to comment on Sen’s remark. “I will not like to say anything on what the home secretary has said. Please ask him,” Sarkar said. Discounting any allegation of failure by the police to rein in the miscreants, I G (Law and Order) Raj Kanojia, who is currently in Delhi, said police are making mass arrests to bring the situation under control. “Wherever a clash occurs, we send huge contingents of policemen. We are also engaging in all-party meeting at various levels to contain the violence,” Kanojia said.

In districts like East Midnapore and Hooghly, where clashes have refused to die down, police have deployed around 300 to 400 policemen, including Rapid Action Force (RAF).

Though police have been taken aback by the non-ending cycle of political violence, which normally continues for a week or two after election results are declared, senior officers say the state armed police and RAF are capable of bringing the situation under control.

“At various sensitive pockets, policemen and personnel of RAF have been deployed. This time, the violence is continuing even days after the results were announced. We did not expect this,” said a senior officer at the Writers’ Buildings.

The police are holding the politicians responsible who, they say, interfere in police action. “At various places in Murshidabad, Hooghly and East Midnapore political leaders are interfering. Leaders of both parties are hindering our actions,” said another senior police officer.

... contd.