Security breach in Mamata Banerjee’s house: accused did 7-8 recces, offered treats to neighbourhood children for information

Hafizul Mollah, the accused who had entered the premises of West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee’s house, had made about seven to eight recces in the neighbourhood earlier, police informed the court on Monday. According to the police, the accused had treated children in the neighbourhood to chocolates and soft drinks against information provided by them on the Bengal CM. It is also learnt that he had been using 11 SIM cards for his mobile phone and links of his travel to Bangladesh, Bihar and Jharkhand have been established by the police. Apparently, Mollah took photographs of the CM’s house in his phone as well. Details of the CCTV cameras in the area have given police such information on Mollah.

According to police, the accused had travelled – allegedly illegally – to Bangladesh in a boat during Durga Puja. The police have sought custody of Mollah as he needs to be interrogated further.

An eight-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) was formed last week to probe the security breach at chief minister Mamata Banerjee’s Kalighat residence recently. The SIT – formed by Kolkata Police – will be led by two officers, deputy commissioner detective department (special) and deputy commissioner of Special Task Force (STF).

The accused had entered the premises of Mamata Banerjee’s residence around 1 am by climbing a wall, spend around seven hours there and was spotted by the CM’s staff at around 8.30 am. The SIT had been probing how the man entered the Z-category security zone. The arrested man was earlier remanded to police custody till July 11.

Following the incident, the chief minister’s security has been overhauled which includes transfer of senior officers in charge of her security.