Kolkata Police seize Army truck for ‘dangerous driving’, a day after jawans dismantled Trinamool stage

Kolkata, Sep 2 (IANS) The Kolkata Traffic Police on Tuesday seized an Indian Army truck in central Kolkata for “dangerous driving while moving close” to Kolkata Police Commissioner Manoj Verma’s vehicles.

The incident took place in front of Writers’ Buildings (former state secretariat) in BBD Square and near Lalbazar (Kolkata Police headquarters).

According to the Kolkata Traffic Police, the Army truck, which came from Fort William (the Indian Army’s Eastern Command headquarters), was driving dangerously while passing by the vehicles of City Police Commissioner Manoj Verma. The truck was on its way to the passport office.

“Despite asking the driver to slow down, the Army truck continued to drive dangerously. The Kolkata Police Commissioner was going to Lalbazar, and his vehicles were behind the Army truck. When the traffic police asked the driver to slow down, the driver did not listen and continued driving dangerously. It was that time, the vehicle was stopped,” said a senior officer of Kolkata Traffic Police.

After being stopped, the Army truck was parked outside St. Andrew’s Church in BBD Bagh. The Army personnel, who were in the truck, said the incident had been reported to Fort William.

“We stopped as we were driving slowly, as there was a turn. We took a right turn, but the police said we were driving dangerously as several vehicles, including the city police commissioner’s cars, were behind. We were stopped and are now being taken to a police station. We have informed about the incident to higher officials,” said the Army jawan who was riding the truck.

Later, officers from Hare Street Police Station reached the spot and seized the Army truck. The truck was taken to Hare Street Police Station.

The development came a day after Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee accused the Centre of “misusing” the Indian Army when its jawans dismantled a stage, erected by Trinamool Congress to protest against alleged atrocities on Bengali-speaking migrant workers in BJP-ruled states.

The Indian Army on Monday dismantled the Trinamool’s stage erected beside the Gandhi statue in the Maidan area in central Kolkata, which falls under the Army’s control. However, as soon as the development was reported, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee rushed to the spot and protested against the Army’s move. Seeing the chief minister at the spot, Indian Army jawans stopped dismantling the stage and left the area.

–IANS

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