Six of the team members were supposed to meet the victims at Howrah where clashes over Ram Navami procession left many injured.
The team was stopped near the Second Hooghly bridge on Sunday morning as cops requested them not to enter the sensitive areas where section 144 CrPC have been in force.
Narsimha Reddy, former chief justice of the Patna high court, who led the team, got engaged in an argument with the police officers who stopped them.
Police claimed that the team comprised six members and which is in violation of section 144 CrPC.
The affected area in Howrah is still under the 144 CrPC to avoid any possible flare-up post the tension over the Ram Navami procession a week back.
The team members were supposed to meet victims at Panchsheel Apartment, Ganges garden, Shree Apartment and Kundal Bagan area which was most affected during the clashes.
“The entire traffic is allowed to move, only we were stopped. We offered them to sit in the police vehicle and reach the spot individually to avoid any flare-up. But the police did not agree,” Reddy said.
They could not even meet the Howrah Police commissioner and came back to the hotel.
“This fact-finding committee does not have any legal sanctity or any right. It is another group of the BJP under a veil. How can someone go for a fact-finding or investigation when the matter is sub-judice,” TMC MP Kalyan Bandyopadhyay said.
The team, which is on a three-day visit to Bengal to meet family members of the victims of recent clashes, were stopped at Rishra on Saturday.
“Yesterday, they gave us a polite letter saying that the matter is pending with the Calcutta high court. However, we replied that we are not here to adjudicate the issue. Hence the question of a matter being sub-judice does not arise. We are not here for criminal investigation, but to provide a healing touch,” Charu wali Khanna, advocate and a team member, said.
Watch WB: Fact Finding Team of NHRC stopped in Howrah
