Anti-waqf law protest turns violent near Kolkata, police vehicles set on fire | Kolkata

In Murshidabad’s Jafrabad area, which falls in Samserganj block, tension gripped the areas after some miscreants pelted stones, even as the district was returning to normal after four days of sporadic violence in which three persons, including a man and his son, were killed in Jafrabad.

In Bhangar, which is in eastern fringe of Kolkata, the mob burnt five police motorbikes and a police van even as police resorted to lathi charge to disperse the mob. According to the police, the clash erupted when police stopped ISF supporters near Bhojerhat on the Basanti Highway heading towards Ramlila Maidan in central Kolkata to attend an anti-Waqf (Amendment) Act rally addressed by party leader and Bhangar MLA Naushad Siddique.

Tension escalated when the crowd attempted to break through police barricades, leading to a clash between the two sides. “Some police vehicles were set on fire by the protesters and a few police personnel were injured when the agitators attacked the law enforcers,” a senior police officer said.

Eyewitnesses said police resorted to lathi-charge to disperse the protesters, as the rally at Ramlila Ground didn’t have proper police permission, leading to at least one ISF worker sustaining a head injury. The situation spiralled quickly, prompting ISF activists to sit on a protest on the highway, leading to long traffic snarls along the stretch.

A large police force, including senior officers, was deployed to bring the situation under control. A high alert was sounded in the nearby areas. The protesters were later dispersed.

Addressing the gathering in Kolkata, Siddique criticised the Waqf (Amendment) Act and demanded its withdrawal. “This law is not just an attack on Muslims, it is an assault on the Constitution. We won’t accept this Act. The government that supports such laws must go,” he said. Canning Purba TMC MLA Showkat Mollah, dismissed the ISF as a “party of no consequence and accused Siddique of trying to “provoke unrest and create disturbances” in the state.

In Murshidabad, Jawed Shamim, ADG (law and order) of West Bengal Police told media that the situation is well under control. “Adequate security forces, including both state police and central forces, are deployed in the areas. There have been no reports of any fresh violence. Villagers are gradually returning home. Shops have started reopening. We are confident that normalcy will return very soon,” he said.

Murshidabad, a Muslim-dominated district in south Bengal which shares its border with Bangladesh, first witnessed clashes on April 8 following protests over the Waqf (Amendment) Act. After three days of peace, fresh clashes erupted on Friday.

While two persons, a father-son duo, were hacked to death by a mob in Samserganj on Friday, a youth who suffered injuries in firing by security forces, succumbed on Saturday. Houses and shops were looted, vehicles were set on fire and police were attacked.

A few hundred villagers from the violence-hit areas of Samserganj in Murshidabad left their home and crossed the Bhagirathi River on boats to reach Malda district. Officials said that while some took shelter in a high school at Baishnabnagar in Kaliachak block in Malda, a few others had put up in the houses of their relatives.

“Around 170 people had taken shelter in the relief camp set up at the Parlalpur High School in Baishnabnagar. We are providing them with food, including baby food, medicines and clothes. Two more schools were kept ready to accommodate more people. But people have already started returning home,” said N Singhania, district magistrate of Malda.

Following the orders of the Calcutta high court on Saturday, central forces were deployed in the riot-hit areas. More than 200 people have been arrested so far, and internet services have been suspended not only in the violence-torn areas of Murshidabad but also in some areas of adjoining Malda and Birbhum districts.

“Around 17 companies of central forces and an entire battalion of state police along with senior officers were posted. The state’s director general of police (DGP) also rushed to the spot on Saturday and is still stationed there. People are still afraid. Confidence building measures by security forces are being carried out,” said a senior police officer.

Police said that both the central forces and state police were conducting route marches and speaking with villagers to instil confidence among them. Drones were being used to monitor the areas. Police pickets have been set up at multiple locations. Security forces are making rounds in convoys and on two-wheelers.

Ravi Gandhi, ADG of BSF (Eastern Command) visited the bordering areas of Malda and Murshidabad to take stock of the situation.

Officers aware of the developments, however, said that heavy rumour mongering was still going on and that’s why internet has been suspended. A barrage of baseless social media posts was being generated from outside the state.

“Looking at the crowd behaviour, the scale of mobilisation, the profile of the people who were involved and the manner in which the crowd reacted, we cannot completely rule out the possibility of some incitement. We have to get the right person. Not a single person, who indulged in violence and those behind it, would be spared. We have some information,” said Shamim.

Political parties, including the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) and its arch rival the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), traded barbs at each other over the issue.

“BJP leaders are posting pictures of riots, which earlier took place in BJP-ruled states, claiming that the incidents took place in West Bengal. Riots broke out at multiple locations at the same time following the same pattern. How can this be possible unless pre-planned? Goons from other states and across the international border were allowed to enter West Bengal to trigger violence. The BJP is resorting to bitter religious polarisation ahead of the 2026 assembly elections. Some organisations are working with the BJP,” said Debangshu Bhattacharya, state president of TMC’s social media and IT wing.

“The TMC-ruled state government has failed to contain the situation. If necessary, the army should be deployed. Bangladeshi infiltrators and Rohingyas think that it is their government in the state. BSF was deployed on Friday night, but they were not allowed to work. But it is said the situation was coming back to normal. The TMC thinks if they get the 30% vote of the minority, they will return to power,” said Samik Bhattacharya, BJP spokesperson and the party’s Rajya Sabha member.

(With inputs from PTI)