The Asian Age

Bengal dharna: Top cops likely to be stripped of awards

- AGE CORRESPOND­ENT

New Delhi: The Centre is likely to take punitive action against five senior police officers of West Bengal, including DGP Virendra Kumar, for taking part in the dharna of chief minister Mamata Banerjee, officials said. This may include taking back meritoriou­s awards and removing the officers from the list of seniority.

Close on the heels of the political drama which had unfolded in West Ben gal when chief minister

Mama ta Banerjee sat on a dharna to protest against what she alleged Centre’s efforts to violate democracti­c norms during the state government­CBI face- off, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Jalpaiguri on Friday to inaugurate infrastruc­ture projects.

The visit to the state is being seen as a precursor to his campaign for the forthcomin­g Lok Sabha polls.

Official sources said that Mr Modi during his day- long visit will lay the foundation stone for the four laning of the Falakata- Salsalabar­i section of National Highway- 31 D there.

The project will reduce the distance from Salsalabar­i and Alipurduar to Siliguri by nearly 50 km. This is significan­t as better access to Siliguri means better access to railways and airways.

Mr Modi will also inaugurate New High Court Circuit Bench at Jalpaiguri, the statement said.

The Circuit bench of Calcutta high court at Jalpaiguri will provide speedy justice to people of Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Jalpaiguri and Cooch Behar in North Bengal. Residents of these four districts will now have to travel less than 100 km to access the bench instead of 600- km trip to Calcutta high court, sources added.

 ?? — AP ?? Kim Kardashian West attends an event at Cipriani Wall Street in New York on Wednesday.
— AP Kim Kardashian West attends an event at Cipriani Wall Street in New York on Wednesday.
 ??  ?? Narendra Modi
Narendra Modi

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