The Union Minister for West Bengal Affairs Mr. Siddhartha Shankar Ray, at a meeting of 26 political parties today, rejected the demand for an all-party probe into Thursday’s mob frenzy at Cossipore and Baranagar in North Calcutta in which at least 50 persons are unofficially stated to have been killed. He also turned down a demand for an immediate suspension of the officers in charge of the two police stations. The parties had met yesterday and unanimously condemned the orgy and demanded “immediate action” against the police officers. At the end of the 90-minute meeting, representatives of different parties alleged that Mr. Ray had “gone back on his words” in rejecting their demands. Mr. Ray told newsmen that it had been decided that a retired High Court Judge would inquire into the incidents and submit a report in about a fortnight’s time. He contended that a non-official body would not be able to bring out the truth as it would have no access to police records and officials had given conflicting reports. “According to Congress (R), 50 persons were killed, while C.P.M. put the toll at 70 and the C.P.I. at 60.”
