By PTI
NEW DELHI: The National Commission for Women (NCW) on Tuesday said it has taken suo motu cognisance of videos purportedly showing women being beaten up in West Bengal’s Nandigram after the assembly election in the state.
West Bengal was in the throes of widespread violence on Monday that allegedly left several BJP workers dead and injured in clashes, and shops being looted, prompting the Centre to seek a factual report from the state government on the incidents of attack on opposition workers.
In a letter to the director general of police (DGP) of the state, the NCW has sought immediate action against those accused in the violence, and demanded a time-bound investigation in the matter.
“The National Commission for Women (NCW) has come across several Twitter posts wherein some goons can be seen beating up women in Nandigram, West Bengal, post elections. The commission is deeply perturbed and has viewed this incident seriously as it questions the safety and security of women in the state,” a statement from the commission said.
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“Chairperson Rekha Sharma has written to Director General of Police, West Bengal, to take immediate action and arrest the accused persons without any delay,” it added.
A team headed by the NCW chairperson will be visiting West Bengal for further inquiry into the matter, the statement said.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday held a meeting with the top administrative and police officers of the state on the post poll violence in the state, an official said.
In the meeting, which was held at Banerjee’s Kalighat residence. She took stock of the situation, he told PTI.
Present in the meeting were Chief Secretary Alapan Bandopadhyay, Home Secretary H K Dwidevi, Director General of Police P Nirajnayan and Kolkata Police Commissioner Soumen Mitra, the official said.
The state has witnessed a number of incidents of violence since Sunday when the results of the assembly election was declared and rivals TMC and BJP have traded charges for it.
At least six people were killed in post poll violence in different parts of the state including one in the city, police said.
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BJP has alleged that TMC-backed goons have killed a number of its workers, attacked its woman members, vandalised houses, looted shops of the party members and ransacked party offices.
TMC has denied the charges.
West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar on Tuesday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had telephoned him and expressed anguish over the law and order situation in the state following reports of post-poll violence from several districts.
Banerjee had on Sunday asked people to show restraint and not be involved in any form of violence.
The union home ministry had on Monday sought a factual report from the government on attacks on opposition workers and Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar had summoned state Home Secretary, DGP and Kolkata Commissioner of Police and directed them to restore peace.
