NEW DELHI: Fresh violence erupted in West Bengal on Monday when supporters of the Indian Secular Front (ISF) and police in South 24 Parganas clashed during protests against the Waqf (Amendment) Act.
Violence erupted when police stopped ISF workers from marching to a rally at Kolkata’s Ramlila Maidan, where ISF leader and Bhangar MLA Naushad Siddique was due to speak.
The protestors, many from Bhangar, Minakhan, and Sandeshkhali, were blocked at Bhojerhat on the Basanti Highway. Tensions rose when they tried to break through barricades, sparking violent clashes. Several police vehicles were torched and officers injured. Police used batons to disperse the crowd, leaving at least one ISF supporter with a head injury.
The violence brought traffic to a standstill, prompting a heavy police deployment. Protesters were eventually cleared from the area.
This comes days after three people were killed in Murshidabad during violent protests against the Waqf (Amendment) Act. West Bengal Police arrested 150 individuals and deployed forces in Samserganj, Dhuliyan, Suti, and nearby areas.
BJP MP Jyotirmay Singh Mahato urged Union home minister Amit Shah to impose AFSPA in several districts, citing deteriorating security and alleged targeted violence against Hindus. A special Calcutta high court bench ordered immediate deployment of central forces in Murshidabad following the unrest.
