Calcutta HC rejects imposition of Section 144 in North 24 Parganas district's Sandeshkhali
Calcutta High Court set aside the declaration of prohibitory orders under Section 144 of CrPC in North 24 Parganas district's Sandeshkhali on Tuesday. The HC, in another case, today took suo motu cognisance of allegations of sexual assault on women “at gunpoint” and transfer of tribal land at Sandeshkhali in West Bengal.
Justice Joy Sengupta of Calcutta High Court today rejected the imposition of Section 144 in the entire Sandeshkhali. However, the court observed state has liberty to impose Section 144 in certain pockets after judicial review, people in the know said. Sandeshkhali has witnessed violent protests by women in the last one week and over allegations of atrocities on women and land grabbing by miscreants close to absconding Trinamool leader Shahjahan Sheikh.
Additional forces of eight platoons will be deployed in Sandeshkhali, including deployment of the women forces, the court observed. Altogether 16 FIRs have been lodged in connection with Sandeshkhali, people in the know said.
The State government informed the court that they are aware of the developments in Sandeshkhali and DIG-CID has appointed an officer to chalk down the grievances of the women in the area.
“The court has set aside Section 144 and the internet ban has been lifted,” a High Court lawyer said today. Following the lifting of Section 144, shops opened and life started returning to normalcy this evening.
Meanwhile, the West Bengal government has formed a committee comprising women IPS officers which reached Sandeshkhali and spoke to
