Mamata breach 'planned'

KOUSIK SEN, TT, Feb 24, 2018, Raiganj: Sisters Rabia and Amira Khatun had a "foolproof plan" to dodge Mamata Banerjee's cordon and reach her at Thursday's public meeting in Raiganj, officials probing the chief minister's security breach have said.

"Whatever they have said indicates they had a foolproof plan. It was not a sudden move," said a source on Saturday, referring to the siblings from a village near Raiganj. The police have not said if the duo had any ulterior motive.

Over the past two days, some of the investigators have suspected that the women were "instigated" after they changed their initial statements.

"The attires they wore were planned. They wanted to present themselves as Kanyashree beneficiaries and students so their activities do not raise any suspicion," said the source.

While Amira was dressed in a white sari with red borders - a common colour combination used in the uniform of many girls' schools -- younger sister Rabia had turned out in a salwar-kameez with a dark blue sweater.

The sisters had crossed five bamboo barricades to reach Mamata. While Amira was intercepted near the ramp leading to the stage, Rabia managed to reach the dais and fall at Mamata's feet while she was delivering her speech.

Both have claimed they wanted to meet the chief minister to seek "exemplary punishment for the killers of their father, who was murdered over a land dispute three years ago.

The sisters, who had been sitting at different places in the audience, advanced towards the dais at the same time, the investigators said.

"This was done to confuse the security personnel. The movements from different ends would create confusion. The plan was to ensure at least one of them reaches the dais," another officer said.

Even the time - they moved towards the stage when the chief minister was nearing the end of her speech - seemed to have been set earlier, said the official. "Usually, at such moments, the focus of the audience remains on the dais," the official added.