The office of the subdivisional food controller that was ransacked. Picture by Biplab Basak

Siliguri, Feb. 8: Forty-eight hours after Forward Bloc supporters ransacked two offices of the Bengal food department in Jalpaiguri, a complaint is yet to be lodged. The offices come under Bloc minister Paresh Adhikary’s department.

Although Manik Sarkar, the subdivisional food controller, informed police, who visited the spot, he did not file any complaint. The absence of a written complaint has been cited by the law enforcers as reason enough for not arresting anybody.

“On the spot, we can take necessary steps to restore law and order. But once the situation returns to normal, it is essential for people concerned (officials of the district food department in this case) to file a complaint with us, mentioning details about the wrong doers and the incident,” said Tapas Das, the Jalpaiguri additional superintendent of police. This would be followed by investigation and arrests, he added.

However, according to P.K. Chatterjee, a joint commissioner of police (administration, Calcutta Police), law enforcers can act suo motu in cases of rioting.

The minister said he was yet to receive a formal report. “But I have told the district food controller to take stock of the situation and submit a report. Discussions have been held with party workers.” Utpal Roy, the district food controller, said he has not spoken to Adhikary since the ransack. “I had not filed any complaint as there was no instruction from either the minister or higher officials,” he added.

On Wednesday, Bloc supporters in Jalpaiguri, had stormed the subdivisional food controller’s office at Ashrampara, when they found it open. The party had called a bandh on that day to protest against police firing in Dinhata that killed five Bloc supporters. The bandh supporters also ransacked the district food controller’s office in Mohantapara.

A senior bureaucrat said in case of ransack in a government office, a police complaint is a must. “It is essential as several documents get misplaced and some are left torn or are lost. In the absence of police complaints, employees are often held responsible for the misplaced documents,” he said.