Kolkata: Commissioner of Police (CP) Kolkata Manoj Kumar Verma has asked police stations to identify sellers and buyers of the Pakistani national flag in the city.
After the Pahalgam terror attack, two people were arrested in Bongaon on charges of trying to spread communal unrest by misusing the Pakistani national flag. Police suspect such attempts may be made in the city as well to hamper communal harmony.
The CP on Saturday, during the crime meeting at the Alipore Body Guard Lines, instructed police stations to identify those buying and selling the Pakistani national flag and ascertain the reason why they are buying the flag of the neighbouring country.
Earlier, several e-commerce companies were accused of selling Pakistani flags just for profit. The Confederation of All India Traders had raised the matter and wrote to Union Commerce minister Piyush Goyal and Consumer Protection minister Pralhad Joshi. In the letter, it was reported that various items of “enemy” countries, including the Pakistani flag, were being sold on several online shopping sites. An immediate ban on selling those products in India was demanded. After that, notices were sent to several e-commerce platforms in this regard.
Previously, Verma had directed his force to find out if any Pakistani national had stayed back in the city even after the government’s instructions to return to his or her country. Also, the Pakistani nationals staying in the city on a Long Term Visa (LTV) are still under the scanner. The maximum number of such LTV holders is women from Pakistan who have married Indian nationals.