KOLKATA: The police here registered a suo moto case against 150 unidentified Left-leaning student activists who had staged a demonstration and gheraoed Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee at Esplanade on January 11, shortly after she met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and attended a programme with him.
Police registered the case on Tuesday under several non-bailable Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections, which include restricting public servants from discharging duty, against the protesters who had demonstrated for over 24 hours at Esplanade against the amended Citizenship Act shouting 'Go back Modi' slogan. However, no arrest was made until Wednesday afternoon.
The trouble broke out on the night of January 11 when Mamata joined Trinamool’s sit-in-demonstration programme against Citizenship Act on RR Avenue, a few metres from the venue where the students’ activists were agitating against the new Act and the Prime Minister's Kolkata visit.
The students overpowered the police and arrived in front of the stage where the Chief Minister was sitting. They sought an explanation from her for meeting the PM.
Later, the Chief Minister was seen explaining to the agitating students that her meeting with the PM was a courtesy call and she placed financial demands for the benefits of the state. Senior police personnel were seen making videography of the protesters using their cellphones.
Asked the reason behind the FIR against the students, a senior police officer said, "It was a safeguard measure. If anyone submits a petition in court accusing us of taking no action against the protesters who broke barricades and reached in front of the stage where the CM was sitting, the FIR will help us to rule out the allegation."