The Bengal government will review the violence and arson during the protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act in 2019, and a special police cell will probe any complaint found to be prima facie genuine, home department sources said on Saturday.
Chief minister Suvendu Adhikari has asked director-general of police Siddh Nath Gupta to verify the reports of vandalism from the districts, including Murshidabad and Howrah, and file cases.
"A special cell of the state police will, under the direct supervision of the state's DGP, probe the instances of vandalism and arson during the anti-CAA protests in 2019 after they have been thoroughly verified," a senior officer at the state police directorate said. "The office of the special cell may be set up within the Bhabanipur Assembly constituency."
Sources said the state police would seek their railway counterparts' help in probing the alleged violence, loot and torching involving railway properties.
"Some violence was reported from the area of Beldanga police station in Murshidabad, and attempts were allegedly made to set a few train compartments on fire in Uluberia, Howrah," the officer said.
"The special cell will collect the details of these cases before starting a fresh investigation. If the charges against an accused are proved, the state will seek compensation from him for damaging government property."
The CAA fast-tracks citizenship for immigrants and refugees from certain neighbouring countries but leaves out Muslims.