The Murshidabad district in West Bengal remained largely peaceful but tense on Sunday even as the Centre deployed 17 companies of paramilitary forces, a day after three people were killed and dozens, including police personnel, injured in violent protests over the newly enacted Waqf (Amendment) Act.
Speaking to reporters in Samserganj, one of the worst-hit areas in the district, director general of West Bengal police, Rajeev Kumar, said that the situation was “fully under control now”. Police have so far arrested 155 people in connection with the large-scale violence that erupted on Friday in the Suti and Samserganj areas when mobs attacked homes, set vehicles ablaze and pelted security forces with stones in the Muslim-dominated district along the Bangladesh border.
The arrested people were booked under sections 324 (intent to cause wrongful loss or damage to the public or to any person), 326 (mischief by injury, inundation, fire or explosive substance, etc.) and 352 (intentionally causing insult with the knowledge that it would breach peace or commit an offence), among others, of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
Around 300 residents fled to the neighbouring Malda district on Sunday and took shelter in a relief camp at Parlalpur High School in Baishnabnagar after the violence on Saturday. The residents crossed the Ganga in boats under police protection. Some fled to Jharkhand as well, locals said.
“At least 155 more people have been arrested since Saturday. Citizens should not be provoked by rumours. They must contact us,” Jangipur superintendent of police Ananda Roy said, adding that 118 were arrested earlier.
The streets in the affected areas were deserted on Sunday with shops remaining shut. Only a medicine shop opened for a few hours at Samserganj.
The Calcutta high court on Saturday ordered the deployment of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) in the strife-torn district, holding that it cannot turn a blind eye to reports of vandalism. The court had said this direction will not be limited to Murshidabad district only and “as and when required it should be extended to other districts faced with similar situation”. Security personnel from the Border Security Force (nine companies) and Central Reserve Police Force (eight companies) were deployed.
The Trinamool Congress (TMC)-ruled state government in the state and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Opposition continued the slugfest over the violence and deaths, on Sunday. The BJP held a rally in Kolkata demanding chief minister Mamata Banerjee’s resignation, imposition of President’s rule, and a probe by federal agencies into the violence, while the TMC alleged that the violence was carried out by criminals who were allowed to cross over from Bangladesh by the Border Security Force as “part of a plan.”
“Mamata Banerjee has no right to continue. The homes of hundreds of Hindus were attacked. The violence should be probed by the National Investigation Agency,” BJP state president Sukanta Majumdar said.
TMC leaders accused police of reacting late to the Samserganj violence, where a mob of around 300 allegedly hacked a father and son to death. “None of this would have happened had the police acted on time and identified the troublemakers. It is a matter of shame for us that so many Hindus had to flee their homes and take shelter in Malda,” said Humayun Kabir, TMC legislator from Bharatpur.
BJP Lok Sabha MP from Purulia, Jyotirmay Singh Mahato, wrote to Union home minister Amit Shah asking five districts be declared “disturbed area” under Armed Forces Special Power Act, 1958.
Additional director general of police (law and order) Jawed Shamim said two men sustained bullet injuries on Friday when the police were compelled to fire four rounds at Suti. The injured were later identified as Mosaraf Hossain and Hasan Sheikh, a minor.
Two of the deceased were identified as Haragobindo Das, 72, and his son Chandan Das, 40. Their family said were the victims were dragged outside their home, beaten and stabbed to death in Samserganj. Police did not comment on the circumstances of their deaths. The third victim was 25-year-old Ezaz Ahmed, who was injured in the firing in Suti on Friday and died in a hospital on Saturday.
Samser Nadab, a resident of Samserganj, sustained a bullet injury on Saturday. His elder brother, Kaiful Nadab, said: “We found him lying on the road. Local people said he was hit when the central forces opened fire.” Police, however, did not confirm who fired at Nadab.
Murshidabad district has recorded sporadic instances of violence for close to a week after Parliament passed the Waqf (Amendment) Bill that aims to implement sweeping changes in the regulation and management of Islamic charitable endowments.
The President gave her assent to the bill last Saturday. Clashes initially erupted on Tuesday, when protesters hurled stones at the police and set their vehicles on fire in the Jangipur area. The situation was eventually brought under control, but violence resurfaced on Friday when a demonstration turned violent, prompting authorities to open fire.
Nilotpal Pandey, BSF spokesperson in south Bengal, told the media that members of the force fired a few shots in the air to rein in the rioters. “The situation in Samserganj was very critical. BSF had to act fast. They fired some shots in the air,” said Pandey.
Madan Ghosh, a resident of Bedbona village in Samserganj said: “We faced terror for two days. The mobs torched my house and looted everything. I somehow managed to flee with my wife and children. I am going to Malda.”