Bengal Violence: The situation in West Bengal remains tense following violence in Murshidabad over the Waqf Amendment Act, that led to the killing of at least three people and has left several others injured.
About 8 companies of Border Security Force, along with around 1,000 police personnel, have been deployed in the district. Officers ranging from the DG level to Additional SP have been deputed in the areas that witnessed violent clashes over the weekend. However, no adverse incident was reported last night.
This comes after the Calcutta High Court stepped in and ordered the deployment of central forces not only in Murshidabad but also anywhere else where such violent incidents take place. Criticising the Mamata Banerjee government over delayed response, the High Court called the current situation “grave and volatile". It also ordered the state government to submit a detailed report by April 17.
The unrest began earlier this week and intensified on Friday and the next day as violent incidents were reported, including mob violence, arson, and police firing in many parts of the district.
Violent protests were reported in several areas of the district, including in Samserganj, Suti, and Dhuliyan, where mobs torched vehicles, attacked homes, and clashed with the police. The police have arrested over 130 people so far in connection with the violence.
Three people lost their lives in the violence on Friday night. The deceased persons were identified as Haragobindo Das, 65, and his son Chandan Das, 40, both of whom were allegedly dragged from their home and killed in Samserganj. Another man, Ezaz Ahmed, 25, died of bullet injury in Suti.
Several police personnel were also injured in the violent clashes.
The Calcutta High Court stepped in amid violence and ordered the deployment of central forces to restore law and order as clashes entered their second day yesterday.
West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose welcomed the court’s order, stating that it was necessary to restore peace in the state.
The BJP has claimed that people from the Hindu community, including women and young girls, have started leaving Dhuliyan by boat to take shelter at Parlalpur village in Baishnabnagar.
Union Minister and West Bengal BJP chief Sukanta Majumdar also claimed that several families from Dhuliyan had been forced to leave their homes amid violence.
“Several families from Dhulian, Murshidabad, have been forced to leave their homes and take shelter in the premises of Parallel High School in Malda due to the harassment of radical fundamentalist miscreants. Even in these extremely dangerous days for Hindus, local Trinamool representatives are reportedly threatening to leave the area. Mamata Banerjee is making the Bengalis of West Bengal witness the horrific history of partition even on the soil of independent India," he posted on X.<
People on the internet also slammed local MP Yusuf Pathan, a former Indian cricketer, for his absence from his constituency amid an atmosphere of unrest. Pathan recently posted a picture on Instagram, sipping tea. “Easy afternoons, good chai, and calm surroundings. Just soaking in the moment," Pathan had captioned his post.
