Civic police volunteers lathicharged
Civic police volunteers are posted in various road crossings to assist the police in controlling traffic movement.
Police lathicharge civic police volunteers on Monday. (Express Photo)
THE POLICE on Monday lathicharged demonstrating civic police volunteers in Malda district, injuring around 75 of them.
Over 700 people had gathered at the Malda post office crossing, ITI crossing and Rathbari area in the afternoon to protest against the district administration’s alleged apathy in reinstating 4,800 civic police volunteers who were laid off last year, despite a high court order directing the government to hire them again.
[related-post]
Swapan Ghoshal, convenor of Unorganised Sector Workers’ Forum, said the volunteers were holding a peaceful demonstration under the leadership of Sanjay Poria, president of West Bengal Civic Police Association (WBCPA).
Claiming that the volunteers were supposed to submit a deputation to Malda SP Prasun Banerjee, Ghoshal said: “Why did the police resort to lathicharge? The volunteers had sought prior permission for the agitation. Around 75 people have been injured and among them, four had to be hospitalised. Even women volunteers were heckled by policemen.”
“Last year, 4,800 civic police volunteers were dismissed and following a legal battle, the high court had ruled that they should be reinstated. Later, a government order (GO) — dated July 28, 2015 — signed by the state special secretary also said that the civic volunteers will be re-appointed but it was not done,” said Ghoshal.
Poria, the state president of the Civic Police Association, said: “A written intimation was given to the English Bazar police station on the programme on September 8 but there was no reply.” He added that there are about 1,30,000 civic police volunteers in the state and 4,800 in Malda district.
Police claimed that the volunteers had started pelting stones on the policemen, who then used batons to disperse them. “Six policemen have sustained injuries and we have arrested seven protesting volunteers,” said the SP.
Later, in a statement, Ghoshal demanded that the arrested volunteers be immediately released and those dismissed reinstated. He added that the forum was likely to take legal steps against the district administration and initiate a larger movement towards “police atrocity”.
Civic police volunteers are posted in various road crossings to assist the police in controlling traffic movement.
Share
