KOLKATA: Night nakas, meant to enforce movement restrictions from 11pm to 5am in Kolkata, have helped police net seven criminals over the past weeks. Lost property, like bikes and illegal weapons, have also been seized from them. On Saturday and Sunday, cops checked 975 vehicles and prosecuted 384 for breaking night restrictions; 278 people were prosecuted for breaking Covid norms and 926 others were caught for not wearing masks properly.
Most of these arrests were carried out in August and September, said Lalbazar sources. Baki Billa alias Kochimoni was arrested by the Anti-Burglary Squad and almost the entire stash of stolen gold and silver ornaments was recovered in a theft case based on information when he was stopped at a naka.
Similarly, during checking on the basis of information, Syed Baba Mazar was arrested for carrying a country-made improvised single-shot firearm.
Recently, a midnight naka check near Bypass Dhaba had also led cops to a man who was allegedly posing as a senior Bengal government officer and a member of the Supervisory Committee of Waqf Board. The accused has been identified as Golam Rabbani (40), a resident of Suresh Sarkar Road in Beniapukur.
“The nakas have primarily been set up to stop people from violating night norms. But on several occasions, the added presence of cops on the ground has helped us nab wanted men.
They may have been pinpointed based on information, but nabbing them on the go has become easier due to the setup,” said an officer.
Local police stations have been asked to carry out special night checks daily between 11pm and midnight, though the number is reduced post midnight based on daily instructions from Lalbazar.
The night checks are being carried out at areas including Park Street, Shakespeare Sarani, Park Circus, Ballygunge crossing, Gariahat, Cossipore, Shyambazar and Sinthee.
