Cops protest rigorous poll duty

Around 50 policemen of Kolkata Police Tuesday staged protests against poor lodging arrangements during election duty in various districts. The policemen,belonging to the 4th Battalion of the city police,blocked the Diamond Harbour road,an important arterial road,for about 15 minutes.

Sources said the team had returned from East Midnapore and were told to leave for Bishnupur in South 24- Parganas,which goes to the polls on July 19. The trigger of the protest,sources said,was a minor road mishap in which one of the policeman was injured. “We will inquire into the matter and we would see how a disciplined force behaves in this way,” a senior police officer said.

Significantly,the force had earlier refused to go to the Maoist-affected districts without arms. However,later they were convinced and sent on poll duty.