150 arrested in anti-Waqf protests in Murshidabad

Twelve more people were arrested in connection with the violent protests over the Waqf Amendment Act in West Bengalrsquos Murshidabad district where three people have died police said on Sunday No new incident of violence was reported from anywhere in the Muslimmajority district with security forces keeping a close vigil they saidldquoThe situation in Suti Dhulian Samserganj and Jangipur areas of the district is peaceful Raids continued overnight and 12 more people were arrested With this 150 people have been arrested so farrdquo a senior police officer saidldquoAn investigation is underway into the incidents of violence More arrests are likelyrdquo the officer said Several vehicles including police vans were set on fire stones were hurled at security forces and roads were blocked as violence rocked various parts of the state particularly Murshidabad during protests over the new legislation on FridayAt least 18 policemen were injured in the violence on Friday Hundreds of people have crossed the Bhagirathi River and taken shelter in adjoining Malda officials said The local administration has arranged for accommodation and food for the fleeing riothit families and sheltered them in schools while deploying volunteers at the river bank to assist those arriving in boatsProhibitory orders under section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita BNSS have been imposed in the violencehit areas and the internet has been suspended officials saidDeclare AFSPA BJPBJPrsquos Purulia MP Jyotirmay Singh Mahato has written to Union Home Minister Amit Shah urging the Centre to declare select bordering districts of West Bengal as ldquodisturbed areasrdquo under the Armed Forces Special Powers Act AFSPA alleging repeated attacks on the Hindu communityIn his letter dated April 13 Mahato alleged that districts such as Murshidabad Malda Nadia and South 24 Parganas have witnessed violence against Hindus with the state administration turning a ldquoblind eyerdquo due to what he called the ruling Trinamool Congressrsquo ldquoappeasementrdquo politicsHe claimed that over 86 Hindu homes and shops were looted or destroyed in Murshidabad district recently and that civilians including a man named Hargobindo Das and his son were murdered In Jhaubona village he said betel leaf plantations were set ablaze in what he described as ldquotargeted economic sabotagerdquoBSF deployedThe Border Security Force BSF has deployed five companies to support state police operations IG South Bengal Frontier Karni Singh Shekhawat said on Saturday He said that BSF will act in coordination with the police and is prepared to send more forces if needed to help restore peace in the regionShekhawat reached the violencehit area after the Calcutta High Court ordered the deployment of Central forces in the affected area West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose expressed concern over the riots in West Bengals Murshidabad and said that he was glad that the Calcutta High Court stepped in and gave an appropriate decision On Saturday a special bench of Calcutta High Court ordered the deployment of Central forces ldquoimmediatelyrdquolsquoHindus being targetedrsquoBJP leader and spokesperson CR Kesavan on Sunday said West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjeersquos ldquobrutal communal politics of appeasementrdquo is turning West Bengal into Jallianwala Bagh He also said that the Hindu community in West Bengal is being targeted and forced to flee while the chief minister remains silentThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoeveratOptionskeyd0ddb8ef8f1a62a8cdd22fac27fc5ea7formatiframeheight90width728params