Taking strict action against Dhulagarh rioters: Government

Kolkata: The West Bengal government on Thursday said it has taken strict actions against those involved in the Dhulagarh riots in Howrah district and also started compensating the affected.

A top official at the state secretariat said the government has already started compensating the families affected by the violence, which rocked the district earlier this month. “Families in Dhulagarh which have been affected will be compensated. We have also decided to rebuild the houses damaged during the riots,” the officials said today.

Asked if persons involved in the riots were booked, the official said, “The state government has already taken strict action in the matter and arrests have been made... Law will take its own course.” Sources in the district police said people are wary of returning to their homes and thus have to remain homeless, barely 20km from the state secretariat. Earlier, the BJP, CPI (M) and Congress leaders were stopped from visiting the troubled areas. Meanwhile, top officials at the state home department said SP Howrah (rural) Sabyasachi Raman Mishra was transferred in the wake of violence in less than a fortnight of his appointment.