Bengal violence: NHRC to conduct on-the-spot probe, NCW Chairperson to visit

Taking serious note of the post-poll violence in West Bengal, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on Tuesday asked its Deputy Inspector General (Investigation) to constitute a team to conduct an on-the-spot fact finding probe, while National Commission for Women (NCW) chief Rekha Sharma will be visiting the state to enquire into women being beaten up in Nandigram.

The NHRC action came after it took suo motu cognizance of media reports regarding the deaths of people in Bengal on May 3, a day after the results for the Assembly elections were announced. Trinamool Congress returned to power for the third consecutive term, while BJP came a distant second.

"The political workers allegedly clashed with each other, party offices were torched down and some homes were ransacked and valuables also looted. District administration and local law and order enforcement agencies appear not to have acted to stop such violation of human rights of the affected persons," NHRC said in a statement.

Read | West Bengal burning due to state-sponsored violence: BJP

The NHRC considered it as a "fit case of alleged violation of Right to Life of the innocent citizens" and asked its DIG (Investigation) to constitute a team of the officers of the Investigation Division to conduct an on-the-spot fact finding investigation and to submit a report at the earliest, preferably within two weeks.

The NHRC and NCW actions came a day after the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) sought a report from the West Bengal government over post-election violence.

The NCW chief will visit the state on Wednesday to enquire into women being beaten up in Nandigram.

In a statement, the NCW said it has come across several Twitter posts wherein "some goons can be seen beating up women in Nandigram" post election results on Sunday.

It said the Commission is deeply perturbed and has viewed this incident seriously as it questions the safety and security of women in the state. Sharma has already written to the Director General of Police in West Bengal seeking immediate action and arrest the accused without any delay.

While seeking a time-bound investigation, the NCW said a team headed by Sharma will be visiting West Bengal for "further inquiry into the matter".

On Monday, a Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) spokesperson said the government has asked West Bengal for a report on the post-election violence targeting opposition political workers in the state.

The BJP has alleged that six of its workers have been killed and one of its party offices in Hooghly district was set on fire. They also claimed that leaders, including Suvendu Adhikari, were heckled by Trinamool workers.

BJP president JP Nadda also reached Bengal to meet the families of party workers, who they claimed had been killed or attacked by Trinamool Congress workers.

Reacting to the allegations, Trinamool chief spokesperson Derek O'Brien tweeted, "Q. Why would someone who won a landslide victory start riots in their own state? A. They won't. But the losing side might want you to think they would".