West Bengal post poll violence: Calcutta HC orders DNA test on victim Abhiijit Sarkar

While hearing a plea in the West Bengal post-poll violence, the Calcutta High Court has ordered a DNA test on the body of Abhijit Sarkar after his brother Biswajit Sarkar reportedly couldn't identify the body.

The High Court has directed that the samples will be collected at the Command Hospital and sent to CFSL Kolkata for analysis and the examination report must be submitted within seven days to the High Court. This comes after the High Court had earlier asked for a second autopsy for Abhijit Sarkar.

The Calcutta High Court had also ordered a probe to be conducted by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) into the incidents of the post-poll violence which started after the election trends indicated the victory of Trinamool Congress on May 2. The High Court stressed that the West Bengal government has failed to build confidence among the affected persons to return to their homes or carry on their occupation.

'TMC supporters dragged and killed Abhijit': Biswajit Sarkar

According to reports, Biswajit Sarkar, narrating the incident to NHRC had said that the Trinamool Congress (TMC) supporters attacked and vandalised their house and the local BJP office which was located nearby on May 2. He said that his brother and their mother were assaulted and the attackers tied a cable television wire around Abhijit’s neck and dragged him along the road till he died. Biswajit Sarkar said that the incident took place shortly after the local TMC candidate, Paresh Pal, was declared the winner in the assembly polls.

The NHRC team which was investigating the incidents of post-poll violence in Jadavpur was also intimidated and attacked on June 30. Following this, the Calcutta High Court on July 2 also issued a show-cause notice for contempt of court proceedings against DCP South Kolkata Rashid Munir Khan for failing to prevent obstruction to the team of the NHRC. The High Court's five-judge bench also directed the Mamata Banerjee-led state government to ensure medical treatment of all victims and to ensure ration for the affected even if they do not have ration cards. It also ordered the West Bengal Chief Secretary to collect and preserve all documents related to the incidents.

The West Bengal Government then challenged the Calcutta High Court's order asking the State Police to register cases of all victims of post-poll violence. Meanwhile, the NHRC has submitted a report to the High Court on Tuesday while the High Court has extended the NHRC investigation to July 13. The case is further scheduled for hearing on July 22.