More than 110 people have been arrested in connection with violent protests that erupted in the Murshidabad district of West Bengal—an area with a significant Muslim population—over the Waqf (Amendment) Act, police reported on Saturday.
On Friday, clashes broke out across several districts including Malda, Murshidabad, South 24 Parganas, and Hooghly. Protesters set fire to vehicles, including police vans, hurled stones at security forces, and blocked roads in response to the controversial legislation.
Officials said the situation remained tense but under control by Saturday morning, with no fresh incidents reported.
Murshidabad was the worst affected. Authorities imposed prohibitory orders and suspended internet services in areas where the violence occurred. “Patrolling is ongoing in Suti and Samserganj. We’re not allowing any unlawful gatherings and are committed to maintaining law and order,” a police officer said, urging people not to believe social media rumors.
Police raids continued across the affected districts. In Murshidabad alone, over 110 people were arrested—70 from Suti and 41 from Samserganj.
A teenage boy injured in the clashes, reportedly due to police firing in Suti, was admitted to a hospital in Kolkata, officials added.
The violence drew sharp criticism from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari accused the Mamata Banerjee-led state government of failing to control the unrest.
“This wasn’t a protest, but a premeditated act of violence—an attack on democracy and governance by extremist elements aiming to spread fear and assert dominance,” Adhikari wrote in a post on X (formerly Twitter). He also alleged that public property was destroyed and government officials were intimidated, while accusing the state government of remaining silent.
Adhikari called for strict action, demanding that all those responsible be identified and prosecuted under the harshest sections of the law. — With inputs from agencies
- News Deskhttps://thekashmiriyat.co.uk/author/kashmiriyat/
- News Deskhttps://thekashmiriyat.co.uk/author/kashmiriyat/
- News Deskhttps://thekashmiriyat.co.uk/author/kashmiriyat/
- News Deskhttps://thekashmiriyat.co.uk/author/kashmiriyat/
