Kolkata:

The West Bengal cabinet on Monday approved the allocation of around 0.9 acres of land in Nadia district’s Karimpur to the Border Security Force (BSF), potentially for setting up outposts and installing wired fences, a senior official said.

The paramilitary force had informed the state government about their land requirement, and the matter was discussed during the cabinet meeting held at the state secretariat.

“The matter was discussed and approval for 0.9 acres of land at Karimpur was given to the BSF,” the official said.

This decision comes amidst recent tensions, with West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee alleging earlier this month that the BSF was allowing infiltration from Bangladesh.

Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari had strongly criticised Banerjee’s remarks, calling them “an insult to the 75,000 personnel of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) and 33,000 BSF personnel in Bengal.” Adhikari also claimed that the state’s lack of support was hindering the construction of fencing to prevent infiltration along the India-Bangladesh border.

The BJP leader alleged that land acquisition for the 284 km long fence was “pending” at the state level.

Additionally, the cabinet approved the assembly’s budget session from February 10 with the budget scheduled to be presented on February 12.

The cabinet also approved the filling of 60 vacancies across various departments.

In a move to recognise the achievements of the Bengal Santosh Trophy -winning football team, the state cabinet decided to offer jobs in the state police to players facing recruitment challenges due to specific physical shortcomings.

The cabinet also gave its approval to set up two police stations, especially for the Special Task Force (STF), he said, adding that the two stations would be set up in New Town and another Siliguri.

“However, no separate appointments will be made for these two police stations at the moment,” he said.

The state cabinet decided to appoint 881 contractual bus drivers and conductors in the transport department, the official added.

CM Banerjee instructed all state departments to coordinate with each other to successfully organise the 8th edition of the Bengal Global Business Summit, scheduled for February 5-6, sources said.

Additionally, the CM also directed her cabinet colleagues to remain vigilant during Saraswati Puja celebrations on February 3, emphasising the importance of maintaining law and order to prevent any disruptions or threats to the state’s security.

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

Jhargram:

65-year-old woman died of shock after seeing the hanging body of her grandson who allegedly died by suicide in their home in West Bengal’s Jhargram district allegedly after a heated argument with his girlfriend, police said on Monday.

The incident occurred after Shubhankar Mahato (25), who worked under a contractor, returned to his Parulia village home in Jhargram block on Sunday night.

He had then an argument with his girlfriend over the phone during which he entered a room and locked the door from inside, police said.

Despite repeated calls, he did not open the door. When the door was broken open, it was found that he was hanging.

“Unable to bear the pain, his grandmother Kamala Mahato also died,” a police officer said.

After conducting postmortem examinations, both bodies were handed over to the family on Monday.

The police started an investigation into the matter, the officer said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Kolkata:

Indian Army’s robotic dogs ‘MULE’ (Multi Utility Legged Equipment) stole the show at the Republic Day parade in Kolkata on Sunday. Named ‘Sanjay’, the ‘MULE’ is an all-weather ground robot dog that can climb stairs, steep hills, and cross hurdles.

According to the Indian Army, it is designed for several operations, including perimeter security, asset protection, and chemical-biological-nuclear warfare scenarios. They can also be used for explosives detection and disposal, intelligence, and surveillance.

#WATCH | West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee takes part in #RepublicDay2025 celebrations at Kolkata.

(Source: Mamata Banerjee Social Media) pic.twitter.com/1KUWOvFFvL

— ANI (@ANI) January 26, 2025

The robotic dogs can carry a payload of 15 kgs and can be operated in extreme temperatures from -40 degrees to 55 degrees Celsius.

The Indian Army has so far inducted 100 robotic dogs in various units, officials said.

West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose unfurled the national flag at Red Road in Kolkata today morning. This was followed by a parade – led by Naib Subedar Rajneesh.

Contingents of the Indian Army, Navy, Air Force, West Bengal Police, Kolkata Police, Rapid Action Force, and Disaster Management Group took part in the parade. Apart from these, students from various schools also participated in the ceremony and performed cultural dances.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee attended the event.

West Bengal tableau at Republic Day parade

West Bengal’s Republic Day tableau at the Kartavya Path in Delhi highlighted the state’s ‘Lakshmir Bhandar’ scheme which provides a guaranteed monthly income to women. It also featured the state’s ‘Lok Prasar Prakalpa’ initiative showcasing its rich cultural heritage, architectural excellence, and artistic traditions.

The tableau’s front featured a ‘Durga’ idol, with Chhau performers accompanying the tableau.

The mega Republic Day parade in the national capital was attended by President Droupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and other high-level dignitaries. Indonesia President Prabowo Subianto attended the event as a chief guest.

Kolkata:

The body of a missing minor girl, suspected to be a victim of rape and murder, was recovered from a field at Basanti in South 24 Parganas district of West Bengal on Monday evening.

According to the district police superintendent Palash Chandra Dhali, the minor girl, an eighth-standard student, had been missing since January 9.

The victim’s family members, according to him, registered the missing case three days later, on January 12.

“Now the body has been recovered. The police are investigating the matter on the basis of the complaint of the victim’s parents. The body has been sent for a post-mortem,” he said.

Sources said that since the missing report was registered by the parents of the victim, the cops started looking for her. “Finally, on Monday evening we received information that the victim was hidden somewhere in a field near her residence,” they said.

They added that finally, the body was recovered without clothes after digging out a portion of the field.

The victim’s parents claimed that their daughter went out of the house on the afternoon of January 9 after being called by some local youth.

“She has been missing since then. We suspect that she was gang-raped first and then her body was buried. We demand the culprits be tracked and punished severely,” said a member of the family.

There was tension in the area following the recovery of the body. Local residents also staged protests against the police over the matter after the recovery of the body.

The recovery of the victim’s body came just hours after a special court in Kolkata sentenced Sanjay Roy, the sole accused in the case of ghastly rape and murder of a woman junior doctor of state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital within the hospital premises in August last year, to life imprisonment.

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

Kolkata:

The Forest Department in West Bengal has finally tranquilised a tigress that was on the move across three states for 21 days. The tigress was successfully sedated and caged after a 21-day hunt, in which it covered over 300 km across Odisha, Jharkhand, and West Bengal. 

Forest Department officials managed to tranquilise the tiger near Gosaindihi village of Bankura district. 

Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee also praised the forest department officials for their success. 

“My heartiest congratulations to the forest officials of West Bengal on the successful rescue of the tigress Zeenat. My sincere gratitude to the district administration, police, panchayat functionaries, and the local people for their invaluable support and collaboration in this remarkable effort. This rescue is a shining example of teamwork and dedication toward wildlife conservation. Your combined efforts have not only saved a majestic creature that strayed out of its habitat but also reinforced the importance of protecting our natural heritage. Thank you for your outstanding work,” she said in a post on social media platform X. 

Zeenat, a three-year-old tigress, was brought to Simlipal Tiger Reserve in Odisha, which is famous for melanistic tigers from the Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve in Maharashtra on November 14, to strengthen the tiger reserve’s gene pool.

But on December 8, Zeenat moved out of the Similipal Tiger Reserve and strolled into the neighbouring state of Jharkhand. 

After spending over a week in Jharkhand moving between locations, Zeenat covered another 15 km and entered Jhargram in West Bengal. From there she went to Bandwan in Purulia district and carried on to Manbazar.

On Sunday morning, the tigress entered the Ranibandh area in Bankura district. 

Around 4 pm, the tigress was finally tranquilised after multiple efforts. 

Kolkata:

A Murshidabad court on Friday sentenced to death one person and awarded life imprisonment to another in the rape and murder of a minor girl and necrophilia in West Bengal’s Farakka in October.

The sentence comes on the 61st day of the crime, and the investigation was completed and chargesheet submitted by the police in 21 days.

The additional sessions judge, Jangipur court, sentenced Dinabandhu Halder to death and Subhojit Halder to life term.

The court had on Thursday declared Dinabandhu guilty of rape and murder, and Subhojit of assisting him in the crime.

Following the pronouncement of the sentence on Friday, Additional Director General (ADG), West Bengal Police, Supratim Sarkar said that Dinabandhu had lured the girl, offering her flowers on Vijaya Dashami on October 13 at Farakka in Murshidabad district.

She was raped and murdered, and rape was committed on her dead body again thereafter, which is termed necrophilia, by Dinabandhu and he was assisted in the crime by Subhojit, the officer told reporters.

Mr Sarkar said that a special investigation team was formed to probe the case and following the arrest of the two persons, the chargesheet was submitted within 21 days.

Hailing the sentence, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said that every rapist deserves capital punishment.

“I have said this before, and I will say it again: Every rapist deserves nothing less than the harshest punishment — capital punishment.

“As a society, we must unite to eradicate this heinous social malice. I believe that swift, time-bound trials and punishments will serve as a powerful deterrent, sending a clear message that such crimes will not be tolerated,” she said in a post on X.

Congratulating the state police and those involved in the prosecution process, the CM said “my thoughts and prayers are with the family of the victim”.

The sentence in the Farakka crime comes barely a week after another death sentence awarded to a man for the rape and murder of a 10-year old girl at Joynagar in South 24 Parganas district.

The death sentence to Mostakin Sardar on December 6 was awarded by a sessions court on the 62nd day after the body of the girl was discovered on October 4.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

The body of an 18-year-old girl — missing for three days — has been found in a pond in Bengal’s Sandeshkhali. Her hands and feet were tied. 

The police said it is likely that she had been sexually assaulted. There are claims that she was last seen riding pillion on a man’s motorcycle. 

The body has been sent for post mortem examination and the report is awaited.

Bricks were tied to the body to ensure that the body drowned, reported news agency IANS quoting an un-named official. 

The women’s family has alleged that she had been raped and murdered.

According to the girl’s mother, they had gone to a nearby cowshed to give fodder to the cattle. 

“I went back home earlier. My daughter said she would be coming back home after some time. But she did not and had been missing since then. Initially, we searched for her in the locality and later we filed the missing diary at the Nazat Police Station,” she was quoted as saying by IANS.

The superintendent of Basirhat Police District M Rahaman said based on the complaints filed by the girl’s family members, the cops have started an investigation.

“We are hopeful of nabbing the offenders at the earliest and after that, they will be dealt with legally,” he added.

Sandeshkhali was recently on the boil this year after woman complained of sexual harassment against the local Trinamool Congress leader. 

A police case has been filed against Sheikh Shahjahan and he has been arrested.

(With agencies)
 

Kolkata:

A motion was passed unanimously in the West Bengal assembly on Thursday, urging the Union government to “lure” airlines to operate direct international flights to Europe and the US from Kolkata.

State minister Chandrima Bhattacharya, who moved the motion in the House, said the Centre and the West Bengal government should work together in this regard.

“This House resolves to urge upon the Union government… to lure various international and domestic airlines to operate direct international flights to Europe and the United States of America from Kolkata on a regular basis so as to end the difficulties faced by the fliers from the region, as also to promote huge potential of tourism,” the motion, passed unanimously by voice vote in the House, said.

Supporting the proposal, Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari said BJP MLAs would be part of any delegation sent by the House to the Union aviation minister for increasing international flight connectivity from Kolkata.

He, however, accused the ruling Trinamool Congress of not providing land for augmentation of some airports in the state for civil aviation, including at Hasimara and Kalaikunda, which belong to the Indian Air Force.

Mr Adhikari claimed that the augmentation of a secondary runway at NSCBI Airport here was also facing impediments.

Asserting that the exit of Tata Motors from Singur also acted as a negative for the state, he said passenger demand and economic viability are some of the main criteria for international or domestic airlines to come to the city.

Tata Motors shifted its Nano car plant from Singur to Sanand in Gujarat in 2008 following an anti-land acquisition agitation.

Ms Bhattacharya, the Minister of State (independent charge) for Urban Development and Municipal Affairs, said direct connectivity to Kolkata from Europe and the US will be of great help for students, businessmen and tourists.

She said that owing to limited international connectivity, fliers from the city or the eastern part of India travelling to and from Europe or the US are forced to make stopovers at Delhi, Mumbai, Dubai, Doha, Abu Dhabi or Singapore.

Ms Bhattacharya said the last direct connectivity to Europe from Kolkata was discontinued in 2022.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Kolkata:

West Bengal Governor Ananda Bose, facing a backlash over reports that he unveiled his own statue in Kolkata last week, has put out a denial.

In a clarification on X, the Governor said that the statue was only “presented to him” at the event.

“In some media reports, it has come out that HG (Honourable Governor) has ‘unveiled his own statue’ at Raj Bhavan. The fact is as follows: Many artists submit their artistic creations to HG. Many painters made HG’s portraits and presented to him. Similarly, a creative sculptor had created a sculpture of HG and presented to HG,” the Kolkata Raj Bhavan said.

“This has been unfortunately been described as unveiling his own statue,” the post added.

In some media reports it has come out that HG has ‘unveiled his own statue’ at Raj Bhavan on 23.11.2024.

The fact is as follows:

Many artists submit their artistic creations to HG. Many painters made HG’s portraits and presented to him. Similarly a creative sculptor had…

— Raj Bhavan Media Cell (@BengalGovernor) November 24, 2024

The statue was made by sculptor Partha Saha. It was unveiled at the Indian Museum in Kolkata on November 23.

In tweets, Indian Museum said the bust was “unveiled by His Excellency himself”

“In alignment with HE’s vision to foster creativity and cultural appreciation, we proudly hosted the unveiling of a bust of the Dr. C. V. Ananda Bose, Hon’ble Governor of West Bengal. Sculpted by the talented Shri Partha Saha of the Indian Museum, was unveiled by H.E. himself,” said one tweet.

On November 23, 2024, Indian Museum embraced the spirit of #ApnaBharatJagtaBengal on the twenty-third day of our month-long celebration, to mark the commencement of Dr. C. V. Ananda Bose, the Hon’ble Governor of West Bengal’s third-year in office, as visionary leader of state. pic.twitter.com/qNg7eGhu6Q

— Indian Museum (@IndianMuseumKol) November 23, 2024

The intricately crafted bust serves as a tribute to His Excellency’s contributions and his unwavering commitment to promoting art and heritage. This initiative underscores the museum’s dedication to preserving and celebrating excellence in the creative arts. pic.twitter.com/nIu7L6N5Ml

— Indian Museum (@IndianMuseumKol) November 23, 2024

In the photos shared by the Indian Museum, Mr Bose can be seen standing next to his bust. 

The Governor was slammed by many and accused of having an “inflated sense of self-importance”. Some opposition leaders from the Trinamool Congress (TMC) also reportedly accused Mr Bose of craving “publicity”.

“Post independence India never seen such preposterous event. One person appointed to a constitutional post is acting like a Roman Emperor,” TMC leader Jay Prakash Majumdar wrote on X.

 Some media reports later claimed that Mr Bose was attending an inaugural event of a painting exhibition inside the Raj Bhavan when the statue was presented to him.

Kolkata:

The body of a BJP worker was found inside the party office at Usthi in West Bengal’s South 24 Parganas district, a police officer said on Saturday.

The worker, Prithviraj Naskar, used to handle the social media accounts of the party in the district.

The BJP pointed an accusing finger at the Trinamool Congress (TMC), while the police, after arresting a woman in connection with the killing, said the reason for the murder could be personal.

Naskar’s blood-soaked body was discovered at the party office on Friday night. His family members said he had been missing since November 5.

A senior police officer said the arrested woman confessed to having hit Naskar with sharp weapons, resulting in his death.

“We are exploring the angle of the deceased having been involved in a relationship and any quarrel with the arrested person,” he told reporters.

The officer said a police team broke open the front door and a collapsible gate locked from inside of the party office before finding the body. The suspected assailant must have escaped through a rear door.

Following a preliminary investigation and tracking of mobile phones, the woman was picked up from a nearby locality and, during interrogation, she confessed that she had committed the crime, the officer said.

Police are investigating if she was aided and abetted by anyone else, he said.

The BJP accused the ruling TMC and the party hit back. 

BJP State President Sukanta Majumdar told reporters that local TMC activists were behind Naskar’s murder as they wanted to frighten the party’s supporters in the area.

In a post on X, Mr Majumdar said, “Our fight will continue until justice is served and the killers of martyr Prithviraj are brought to light. BJP remains resolute in ending the bloodthirsty and oppressive rule of CM Mamata Banerjee in Bengal.”

The BJP state unit alleged in another X post that the party’s district social media convenor was abducted, tortured and murdered by TMC “goons”.

“The police ignored his family’s desperate pleas for help,” it claimed.

Senior TMC leader and former Rajya Sabha MP Kunal Ghosh claimed that the BJP knows the exact reason behind Naskar’s death but peddles falsehoods implicating the TMC.

Mr Ghosh claimed in an X post that there are reports about the BJP worker having enmity with more than one person.

The injuries in some parts of his body showed animosity and contempt of the assailant towards the man, the TMC leader claimed, expressing hope that the investigation would cover all these angles.

Meanwhile, Naskar’s father claimed that his son had earned the wrath of some local TMC activists and the police after putting up placards demanding justice for the RG Kar hospital victim during the recent Durga Puja festival in the area.

“My son was warned of dire consequences by local TMC leaders for organising protests on the RG Kar issue during the festive season,” the father said. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)