Murshidabad continues to boil in the wake of widespread protests against the Waqf Amendment Act, with violent clashes claiming the lives of three individuals, including a father and son in Shamsherganj and a teenager in Suti.
The bodies of 74-year-old Hargobind Das and his 40-year-old son Chandan were discovered early on Sunday inside their residence in Shamsherganj. According to police sources, miscreants had broken into their home during the unrest.
According to police sources, the father and son were brutally hacked to death, their bodies left lying in a pool of blood for over four hours as law enforcement officials were unable to enter the area due to the ongoing unrest. Meanwhile, the teenager who sustained a gunshot wound during Friday’s confrontation in Suti also succumbed to his injuries.
In response to growing unrest in Murshidabad district of West Bengal over the issue of Waqf (Amendment) Act, the Calcutta High Court on Saturday directed the deployment of central forces to maintain peace in the region.
On Saturday morning, the situation turned volatile in Shamsherganj, a day after protests first flared up across the district. Clashes broke out between two groups, prompting the Border Security Force (BSF) to intervene.
To restore order, the Border Security Force (BSF) was deployed at the request of the district administration. So far, 118 individuals have been arrested in connection with the violence.
Allegations have surfaced that the BSF opened fire to control the mob, injuring two individuals — Hasan Sheikh and Golamuddin Sheikh — both residents of Tarabagan under Shamsherganj police station. They were rushed to Jangipur Subdistrict Hospital and are reported to be in critical condition.
Protests demanding the rollback of the Waqf Amendment Act had escalated sharply since Friday afternoon. As tensions mounted, demonstrators violated Section 144 and blocked National Highway No. 12, leading to direct confrontation with police. The epicenters of the violence were Dhulian Dakbungalo and Ratanpur areas of Shamsherganj, where the situation spiraled out of control.
Multiple government and private vehicles, including an ambulance, were set ablaze. The local traffic police office was torched. Ruling TMC MLA Monirul Islam and MP Khalilur Rahman were allegedly manhandled. Police faced stone-pelting and were reportedly targeted with crude bombs. The SDPO of Farakka also came under attack during the mayhem.
In response to the escalating violence, the BSF has been deployed to aid local law enforcement. Patrols and surveillance are ongoing in Dhulian and its surrounding areas.
Chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday appealed for peace and restraint, urging protestors not to allow vested interests to exploit the movement. She emphasised the importance of dialogue and condemned the violence, promising that the state government would thoroughly investigate the incidents.
Meanwhile, the Director General of Police (DGP), Rajeev Kumar, issued a stern warning stating that strict action will be taken against those found involved in arson, attack or instigating violence. He urged people to maintain calm and assured that additional forces have been deployed to restore order.
As tensions simmer in Murshidabad, authorities remain on high alert with a strong presence of both police and BSF personnel across the affected regions.
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