Bengal Ram Navami violence: NCPCR issues notice to Howrah Police Commissioner

The apex child rights body NCPCR has issued a notice to the Howrah Police Commissioner regarding the use of children for pelting stones during violence that erupted in West Bengal on Ram Navami.

Clashes broke out between two groups during a Ram Navami procession in West Bengal’s Howrah district last week, leading to the arrest of 45 people. “The Commission has come across a Twitter post wherein it has come to the notice that during Ram Navami Shobha Yatra in Howrah’s Shibpur area, the mob turns violent and the children are seen to be used in stone pelting in the violent activities, by anti-social elements,” the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) said.

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It said the Commission has taken suo-moto cognisance of the matter as prime facie, the use of children in such violent activities by anti-social elements seems to be a violation of the Juvenile Justice Act, 2015 and other relevant sections of the IPC.

“Therefore, your good offices are requested to enquire into the matter by urgent legal action against the perpetrators who used the children in such violent activities. It is also desirable to identify the children who have been used in such violent activities, produce them before the Child Welfare Committee and provide counselling,” it said.

It also instructed that an Action Taken Report may be submitted within two days of receipt of the letter.

Ram Navami clashes

Clashes broke out between two groups during a Ram Navami procession in West Bengals Howrah district last week, leading to the arrest of 45 people.

“The Commission has come across a Twitter post wherein it has come to the notice that during Ram Navami Shobha Yatra in Howrahs Shibpur area, the mob turns violent and the children are seen to be used in stone pelting in the violent activities, by anti-social elements,” the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) said.

It said the Commission has taken suo-moto cognisance of the matter as prime facie, the use of children in such violent activities by anti-social elements seems to be violation of the Juvenile Justice Act, 2015 and other relevant sections of the IPC.

“Therefore, your good offices are requested to inquire into the matter by urgent legal action against the perpetrators who used the children in such violent activities. It is also desirable to identify the children who have been used in such violent activities, produce them before Child Welfare Committee and their counselling may be done,” it said.
It also instructed that an Action Taken Report may be submitted within two days of receipt of the letter.

With agency inputs