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regular-article-logo Monday, 25 November 2024
'Inquiry will be impartial, have faith in me'

Bengal to set up special investigation team to probe Anis's murder

I request the family to have faith in me, says Mamata after student leader's kin declines invite to meet her

Arnab Ganguly Calcutta Published 21.02.22, 04:06 PM
Mamata Banerjee.

Mamata Banerjee. File picture.

Chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday announced a special investigation team to probe the mysterious death of student leader Anis Khan, as she broke her silence three days after the shocking incident.

“Whoever be involved in this death, the probe will be impartial. If I am responsible, I too won’t be spared. In these matters I am rough and tough,” said Mamata at the state secretariat.

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Though the chief minister had asked the family members of the slain student leader to meet her on Monday afternoon, they did not turn up.

After a cabinet meeting, Mamata instructed chief secretary H.K. Dwivedi to constitute an SIT with the CID and administrative officials.

Protest march against the murder of Anis Khan from Esplanade to Mahajati Sadan in Calcutta on Monday.

Protest march against the murder of Anis Khan from Esplanade to Mahajati Sadan in Calcutta on Monday. The Telegraph picture.

In the intervening night of Friday and Saturday, a group of four men claiming to be from the police had barged into the Khan residence at Howrah’s Amta, Khan's family has alleged. The lifeless corpse of Anis was found lying on a vacant area adjacent to the residence soon after the unidentified men left. The Howrah police has denied sending any team to Amta on that fateful night.

“I will request the family to have faith in me. I cannot bring him back to life. Everybody should understand nobody acts in this manner willingly. Whoever is involved will not be forgiven. The government will probe impartially and submit a report in 15 days,” said Mamata.

“We had good contacts with Anis. Those who are now appearing on television are unaware of this. Anis used to keep in touch with us. He helped us,” she said.

The slain student leader’s father, Salaam Khan, alleged three people had visited their house on Sunday night with one of them identifying himself as a representative of the chief minister.

“Someone came and said he was representing the CM, her personal assistant, offered job and financial compensation. I told him I was not interested in either. They wanted us to go to meet the CM on Monday,” said Khan.

The elderly man said that the three men came around midnight and stayed for over an hour. Since then the house has been barricaded by a police team.

“I don’t need the police. They killed my son. What if they kill me? If she calls me or sends her people, I will tell them to remove the police team. I want a CBI probe,” he said.

CPM state secretary Surjya Kanta Mishra said the police wanted to take the family to meet the chief minister against its wishes. “The family wants a CBI probe. We had demanded a judicial probe because a CBI probe leaves many unanswered questions. What does the chief minister want? We want to know the truth. We want justice. If there is any attempt of a cover-up, there will be a larger movement,” said Mishra.

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