Kolkata: Beleghata MLA Kunal Ghosh was on Wednesday questioned for around 90 minutes in connection with a protest he had staged a day after the stampede at the Chorbagan Durga Puja pandal, in which 19 people were killed and 25 injured. Officers at the Girish Park Police Station had summoned Ghosh.After leaving the police station, Ghosh, a Mamata Banerjee loyalist, claimed while he had to face police questioning, the “actual culprits, the heavyweights, were being shielded” by cops. “After the stampede at Chorbagan, we went to communicate with the police and demand an impartial investigation. Major prominent names associated with the puja committee bear the responsibility, yet they are walking around freely, while an FIR has been registered against us, who raised questions,” Ghosh said.Police sent summons to Ghosh following a complaint by Sashi Baid, a resident of Muktaram Babu Street, who claimed Ghosh, along with a group of Mamata Trinamool supporters, staged a protest in front of the Girish Park PS on Oct 18, a day after the stampede, and that the demonstration choked traffic on Ram Dulal Sarkar Street.“When we had come here last month, the pavements were fully open and we allowed movement. We had not planned any blockade programme; it was purely a deputation programme, and police had cooperated with us that day,” Ghosh claimed on Wednesday.Ghosh alleged the investigating officer refused to note down his statement when he mentioned a recent protest by the BJP in central Kolkata in the presence of BJP president Nitin Nabin and chief minister Suvendu Adhikari. “About the Nitin Nabin rally, which caused a major road block in central Kolkata, they said it was not their concern. In the Chorbagan case, influential people, whose names appeared on the hoardings, are receiving relief but FIRs are being lodged against those raising questions,” he said.Police said they questioned Ghosh on why he did not give prior intimation and disrupted the work of police, who were busy with investigation, arranging relief for the injured and handing over bodies. “If required, we may issue another notice to Ghosh for questioning,” said an officer.
