Hundreds, including Trinamool Congress leaders, join peace rally in West Bengal's Howrah; violate lockdown

Kolkata: A shocking visual has emerged from West Bengal's Howrah city where a huge rally-led by Howrah Assistant Commissioner of Police Aloke Dasgupta was taken out. The rally, taken out at Tikiapara area of Howrah, which was recently in the news for attacks on corona warriors, saw a large number of participants including a few Trinamool Congress leaders.

The rally is likely to trigger a controversy with many social media users questioning the purpose of gathering a large number of people at one place at the time of global pandemic.

Videos surfaced on the internet show people in the rally violating social distancing and lockdown norms with some marching alongside the senior cop without wearing masks.

Watch the video below: 

Hundreds join peace rally in West Bengal's Howrah; violate lockdown norms pic.twitter.com/w25geNBYdh — Zee News English (@ZeeNewsEnglish) May 3, 2020

Speaking of the Howrah attack, the police has so far arrested at least 10 people whereas raids are still on to nab all the culprits responsible for the attack on the police team on April 28. Two police personnel were injured as a mob hurled bricks and bottles and attacked a police outpost in the Tikiapara area, besides vandalising two security force vehicles after the lawkeepers tried to enforce the lockdown in Belilous Road.

Tension prevailed in the area for next 48 hours which saw nightlong raids by the police to round up the perpetrators of the violence identified from a video footage of the incident that had caused outrage in the state as also various parts of the country.

A day later, on April 29, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said she has directed the police to take stern action, without harassing any innocent people. She, however, accused the BJP of trying to politicise the issue.

"There are so many police stations in Bengal. The incident has taken place in only one police station area. And they are making it a big issue across the nation. As if it is a big victory of the BJP. Their only aim is to humiliate the state government and the state," she told media persons.