Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari has ordered the reopening of all cases related to the 2019 Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) protests that caused extensive damage across the state's railway network. He directed that financial compensation be recovered directly from those responsible for the destruction.
The directive was issued during a meeting at Nabanna on Saturday with Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and senior officials. Adhikari instructed Director General of Police SN Gupta to review all cases stemming from the 2019 agitation, during which stations were ransacked and trains torched, resulting in damages amounting to Rs 93 crore. Officials indicated that the order would lead to the reopening of all protest-related files from 2019.
Scale of Destruction Recalled
Speaking at a later programme, Adhikari recalled the magnitude of the destruction, particularly in the Murshidabad district. Railway officials detailed the sequence of events: protests began on December 13 with a stone-pelting attack on the Falaknuma Express near Uluberia. The Beldanga station in Murshidabad was torched twice on December 15 and 16. Five trains were set ablaze at Krishnapur station in the Lalgola section, and a Railway Protection Force team was attacked. Despite state laws enabling recovery of compensation from vandals, no such action was taken at the time.
Legal Instruments Available
Officials cited two legal instruments that can be utilized: the West Bengal Maintenance of Public Order (Amendment) Act, 2017, which empowers the state to impose collective compensation from those in the affected area; and the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, 1984, under which offenders face up to five years of rigorous imprisonment and mandatory financial penalties for damage to public assets owned by the central or state government.
The decision marks a significant step in holding perpetrators accountable for the widespread damage during the 2019 protests. The reopening of cases is expected to ensure that losses are recovered and justice is served.
