Army called to control situation in Kolkata

KOLKATA: Army was on Wednesday called out to control violence after mobs attacked police and torched vehicles during a 'three-hour shutdown' by the All India Minority Forum to protest against Nandigram turmoil and to press the demand for expulsion of controversial Bangladeshi writer Taslima Nasreen.

Sources in the army headquarters said that two columns have already left to stage flag marches in areas which witnessed violence.

Emerging from a high-level meeting with Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, West Bengal Home secretary PR Roy said that the government sought six columns of army, including four columns which would be on the standby.

He said that the army would work in tandem with the state police and stage flag marches in areas in central Kolkata.

Police said that the Forum activists attacked the police with brickbats and bottles. The police burst tear gas shells and made lathicharge to chase away the attackers in various areas of the city.

Even after the three-hour shutdown, more people joined in and continued to attack the police in which Deputy Commissioner, South, Javed Shamim was injured.

The shutdown was called to protest against the Nandigram violence and to press the demand for cancellation of visa of Taslima Nasreen.

The Home secretary said that the government was contemplating imposing curfew in the violence-hit areas at night.