Heads roll in Kolkata police for teacher's death

Kolkata: Two Kolkata police officers have been suspended in connection with the death of a Muslim teacher, who was found dead after allegedly being harassed by the police to leave his Hindu wife, and former CM Jyoti Basu has said more “heads will roll”.

Assistant Commissioner Sukanti Chakraborty and Sub Inspector Krishnendu Das were suspended after an interim probe into Rizwanur Rehman’s death last month. The police were allegedly hounding Rehman to leave his wife Priyanka Todi, daughter of industrialist Ashok Todi, and had threatened to frame him for abduction and theft.

IANS reports the suspended police officers have told the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) their superiors asked them to harass Rehman and his wife Priyanka to opt out of the marriage.

Earlier in the day, Basu blasted Kolkata police for its probe of Rehman’s death. "Heads will roll and even police commissioner Prasun Mukherjee may not be spared," he said.

He criticised Mukherjee for defending police officers who threatened Rehman. "It is very bad and undesirable. It has come to the notice of Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee," Basu said.

Home Secretary P R Roy said no decision had been taken on removing Mukherjee but admitted action is being considered against two senior police officers.

"If need be, we will remove the two IPS officers—Deputy Commissioner (headquarters) Gyanwant Singh and Deputy Commissioner (detective department) Ajay Kumar—whose names have figured in the case. We will take legal advice in the matter and proceed accordingly," Roy said.

Rizwanur, who was found dead beside a railway track with his head smashed in Kolkata on September 21, had mentioned the names of Gyanwant Singh and Ajay Kumar, besides police officers Sukanta Chakraborty and Krishnendu Das as the ones who had harassed him.

Rizwan has written letters to human rights groups in which he had accused top police officials of pressurising him to leave Priyanka.

The Calcutta High Court is now hearing a writ petition case filed by 30 year old Rehman's relatives. The next hearing in that case is on Monday.