Waqf Act protests: Several pockets of Bengal’s Murshidabad witnessed violent protests on Friday with agitators torching police vehicles and clashing with the police personnel. At least 10 policemen were injured and vehicular and rail movement was disrupted, officials said. Security has been heightened in Murshidabad’s Jangipur and Suti areas as of Saturday morning. Visuals from the place showed charred vehicles.
The West Bengal Police said that over 110 arrests were made in the violence and raids were underway in the districts of Malda, Murshidabad, South 24 Parganas and Hooghly were the violent protests broke out.
The police said that the mob in the areas of Suti, Jangipur and Samsara have been brought under control. The protests turned violent when the agitators assembled despite prohibitory orders and blocked roads, hurled stones at security personnel, torched police vans and public buses during processions.
Roads blocked, stones pelted: Murshidabad burns after protests
Senior police officials said that the trouble started after people from the Muslim community gathered after the Friday prayers and staged protests against the Waqf Act, blocking a stretch of National Highway-12 from Dakbanglo More in Shamsherganj to Suti Sajur More.
"The protests turned violent after the agitators hurled stones at a police van, resulting in a clash in which around 10 policemen were injured," he said.
Police used lathi-charge, tear gas shells
The police lathi-charged the protestors to bring the situation under control and later, tear gas shells were also used when some demonstrators threw bomb-like substances at them, an officer said.
Police personnel also took shelter in a nearby mosque amid the violence as the district administration requested the BSF to intervene to restore normalcy.