More than 24 hours after the flare-up, both the Army’s Eastern Command as well as the Kolkata Police are training guns at each other, accusing each other of crossing the “Lakshman rekha”. A reconstruction of the sequence of events that led to such a major flare-up between the Army and civil administration on New Year’s night reveals how both the Army personnel as well as the policemen flouted the rule book.The Eastern Command has raised a number of questions on the role of the police and private security guards in Park Hotel. The first query is regarding the complaint against Major Chandra Pratap Singh, who had reportedly purchased buffet coupons for the New Year’s Eve party at the Park Hotel. Asking why he was beaten up and asked to leave the hotel despite having a valid coupon, the Army says the complaint against him is vague.The Army has also asked why the Kolkata Police did not inform the unit headquarters of the two officers, who reportedly identified themselves after they were taken into custody. “This incident could have been averted. There is no way we can deny the incident or spare the accused if found guilty, but the Kolkata Police should have contacted us immediately after the incident. On many occasions we coordinate our efforts,” said Wing Commander R K Das, CPRO, Eastern Command, Bengal area.But Prasun Mukherjee, Commissioner of Kolkata Police, countered: “It is not a question of informing them. Three jeeps of Army jawans led by a senior officer of the rank of Lieutenant Colonel stormed our police station brandishing sophisticated weapons. They should have contacted superior police officers themselves. We did everything according to the rules. The Major as well as the Captain were visiting Park Hotel in their personal capacity and were off-duty. The duo were uncontrollable in the police station and therefore we had to lock them up. They should have suspended the officers by now.”Sources in the Army informed that for the 3rd Madras Regiment, it was their first New Year’s Eve celebration in a city after five years. The regiment, which was posted in the Siachen area for the last few years, had been shifted to Salt Lake Sector V just a couple of months back.
