Murshidabad on Lockdown! High-Alert After Violent Protests
Lockdown After Tragic Violence Erupted in Murshidabad Over Waqf Amendment Act, Leaving Three Dead
The Muslim-majority Murshidabad district in West Bengal remains on edge after violent protests against the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025, claimed three lives and injured several others, including 18 policemen, on Friday and Saturday. Paramilitary forces, including the Border Security Force (BSF), alongside state police and Rapid Action Force (RAF), are patrolling sensitive areas like Suti, Dhulian, Samserganj, and Jangipur to maintain order. The Calcutta High Court ordered the deployment of central forces following widespread unrest, with no fresh incidents reported as of Sunday, though tension persists.
The violence saw vehicles torched, shops vandalized, and roads blocked. A father and son, Harogobindo Das and Chandan Das, were brutally hacked to death in Samserganj, while a 21-year-old, Ijaz Momin, succumbed to bullet wounds from clashes in Suti.
Police have arrested 150 individuals, with raids ongoing, and prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) remain in place. Internet services are suspended to curb misinformation.
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Political parties are locked in a blame game. BJP leaders, including Suvendu Adhikari and Sukanta Majumdar, accuse the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) of "appeasement politics," claiming over 400 Hindus fled Dhulian for Malda, seeking safety. Adhikari demanded a CBI probe into the killings, while BJP MP Jyotirmay Singh Mahato called for AFSPA in Murshidabad and other districts.
Conversely, TMC leaders like Kunal Ghosh allege the BJP is spreading fake videos to incite communal polarization, questioning the BSF’s role along the Indo-Bangla border.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who has vowed not to implement the Waqf Act in West Bengal, urged calm, emphasizing unity. Governor C V Ananda Bose is in talks with her, while the Centre monitors the situation.
Islamic clerics, including Imam Moulana Shafique, condemned the violence, stating it violates democratic and Islamic principles. Congress MP Isha Khan Choudhury, barred from visiting Samserganj, called for dialogue to restore peace.
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