Man seen carrying weapon at Howrah Ram Navami rally arrested from Bihar

MUNGER (Bihar): The West Bengal Police have arrested a 19-year-old for allegedly brandishing a weapon during a Ram Navami procession in Howrah. The accused, identified as Sumit Shaw, who was seen in a video that is now viral on social media, was arrested from Bihar’s Munger on Monday night, Howrah police said on Tuesday.

According to police, the accused is a resident of Salkia in Howrah and had been absconding since the incident. “I can only say that West Bengal police arrested one person. Now, after court permission, they will take on transit the arrested man”, said Munger Superintendent of Police Jagunath Reddy Jalareddy. The police officer said that the accused would first be taken to the Sadar Hospital for a medical examination.

Meanwhile, Kunal Ghosh, State General Secretary of the Trinamool Congress, said that the violence was a plot of the Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) to create unrest in West Bengal.

“In the incident in Howrah on Ram Navami, there was a boy visible in the procession of BJP who was carrying a revolver. With this arrest, the plot of provocation of the BJP has been established. Howrah police has arrested him in Munger, Bihar. This case has been assigned to CID”, the TMC said.

Meanwhile, a fresh incident of stone-pelting was reported from Rishra town in Hooghly on Monday evening. Eastern Railway has suspended all local and mail express train services operating to and from Rishra railway station, following the incident. Police and Rapid Action Force (RAF) were also deployed in the area to prevent any untoward incidents.

The fresh violence came in the wake of clashes that erupted during BJP’s march in Hooghly on Sunday. The state government later issued prohibitory orders and also suspended internet services across the district. Last Thursday, several vehicles were set on fire after two groups clashed in Howrah amid Ram Navami celebrations. During the procession, rioters vandalised public and private properties while setting vehicles on fire.

The West Bengal government last Friday handed over the probe into the Howrah violence to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID). A special team led by Inspector General of Police, CID, Sunil Choudhury has initiated an investigation. (ANI)