Kolkata: Police reported on Saturday that over 110 individuals were arrested in connection with the violence that erupted in the Muslim-majority Murshidabad district of West Bengal during protests against the Waqf (Amendment) Act.
The unrest, which occurred on Friday, saw several vehicles, including police vans, set ablaze, stones thrown at security forces, and roads blocked. The violence extended to Malda, Murshidabad, South 24 Parganas, and Hooghly districts.
Raids are ongoing across these districts, with over 110 arrests made in Murshidabad alone, according to police.
"About 70 people were arrested from Suti and 41 people from Samserganj in connection with the violence," a police officer said.
|The situation in these violence-hit places remained tense on Saturday morning, but no untoward incident was reported, officials said.
In the worst-hit Murshidabad district, prohibitory orders have been imposed and internet services suspended in places that saw violence, they said.
"Patrolling in Suti and Samserganj areas is going on. Nobody is allowed to regroup anywhere. We will not allow any attempt to disrupt the law and order situation," an officer said, appealing to the people to not pay heed to "rumours on social media".
Meanwhile, a teenage boy who was injured allegedly in police firing during the clashes in Suti was admitted to a hospital in Kolkata, police said.
The districts that saw violence have significant Muslim populations.
The BJP attacked the Mamata Banerjee government, stating that if it was "incapable" of handling the situation, it should seek help from the Centre.
"Let it be known that this was not an act of protest, rather a premeditated act of violence, an assault on Democracy and Governance by Jihadist forces who seek to spread chaos in order to assert their dominance and sow fear amongst other Communities of our Society," Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari said in a post on X.
"Public property was destroyed, Government Officials felt threatened, and an atmosphere of fear and intimidation was created, all under the false guise of dissent. The silence of the Mamata Banerjee Government is deafening," he said.
Adhikari said that those behind the violence must be identified, arrested and prosecuted under the strictest sections of law.
(inputs from PTI)