New Delhi: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Wednesday conducted raids at 17 locations in West Bengal in a case pertaining to the clash between two communities that took place at Bhukailash and Mayur Bhanj road in Kolkata on October 9. During the search operation, Rs 33,87,300 in cash, sharp-edged weapons, and other incriminating documents have been recovered.
An NIA official said that Rs 30,55,000 have been recovered from the house of Md Salauddin Siddique, Rs 1,59,300 from the house of Zakir Hossain, and Rs 1,73,000 from the house of Tipu. "All three are absconding at present. We suspect their involvement in the clash causing social unrest," the official said.
"The case pertains to the clash between persons of different communities who had assembled unlawfully near 8/H/1 Bhukailash road. These persons were equipped with deadly weapons, including firearms, bombs, and sticks. These persons indulged in brick-batting, stone-pelting and also hurled bombs at each other," the NIA official said. They also attacked the security personnel and physically assaulted them, and damaged a number of vehicles, he added.
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The case was initially registered as FIR no. 482/2002 on October 10 last year at Ekbalpur in Kolkata which was later re-registered by NIA on October 18. Following the clash that reportedly took place over putting up flags in the Mayurbhanj area of Mominpur when Milad-un-Nabi was being observed, leaders from different parties started accusing each other of instigating the violence. Trinamool Congress said that BJP and CPI (M) have been trying to incite people and create lawlessness while BJP attacked the ruling party for lawlessness in the state.
