Howrah

The Ram Navami violence and communal clash started taking a political turn, amid a blame game of the political parties, the Trinamool Congress and the BJP. While Mamata Banerjee blamed BJP goons to start the violence, the BJP leaders said, Mamata Banerjee-led Government gave clean chit to all the stone pelters in the region. Meanwhile, BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari filed a plea and demanded a CBI inquiry into the violence.

Indian Railways has sped up the process to launch the upcoming bullet train project on the Varanasi-Howrah route after the launch of the Ahmedabad-Mumbai bullet train project. The route would connect five Bihar cities such as Buxar, Arrah, Patna, Bihar Sharif, and Nawada. The train will run on the 760km long high-speed rail corridor. It is likely to run at a speed of 350 km per hour.   

The Election Commission has suspended polling officer Tapan Sarkar for allegedly keeping the EVM and VVPAT with him on his visit to TMC leader Gautam Ghosh's residence on April 5. After recovery of the reserve machines, it was revealed that Sarkar visited Ghosh in Howrah's Uluberia and had slept overnight. The EC has warned of strict action against the people involved, and said recovered voting machines will not be used.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on August 24 directed the officials concerned to take precautionary measures to tackle the likelihood of rain-caused flooding. Her remarks came following the India Meteorological Department's forecast of heavy rainfall in the southern districts of West Bengal till August 27. The CM said, "Howrah needs a proper planning before heavy rains start over the next few days."