Fresh violence in Bengal’s Howrah
KOLKATA: Fresh violence was reported in Panchla Bazaar area in West Bengal’s Howrah district on Saturday as protesters clashed with the police and several houses were set on fire, a senior officer said.
Protesters pelted policemen with stones, injuring some of them, and also vandalised a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) office. Several fire tenders were pressed into service as police lobbed tear gas shells to disperse the protesters, the officer said, adding the situation was “under control” at the moment.
Protests erupted in several parts of Howrah district on Friday over controversial remarks by suspended BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma and expelled leader Naveen Jindal on Prophet Mohammad.
Agitators resorted to stonepelting, setting police vehicles on fire and damaging public property during violent protests and clashes with the law enforcers in the district.
“The agitators have been dispersed. Some policemen have been injured in the stone-pelting. We are conducting a route march in the area. The situation is under control,” the officer quoted above said.
Kolkata mayor Firhad Hakim demanded Sharma’s arrest. “She should be arrested immediately. BJP is trying to vitiate the atmosphere of the country,” he said.
Meanwhile, the West Bengal government on Saturday effected a police reshuffle in
Howrah district, naming Praveen Tripathi, Additional commissioner of Kolkata Police as the new commissioner of police of Howrah City, an order stated. Swathi Bhangalia, DCP (South West) of Kolkata Police, was made the new superintendent of Howrah (Rural), it added.
Howrah City Commissioner of Police C Sudhakar was made the Joint CP of Kolkata Police while Howrah (Rural) SP Saumya Roy was made DCP (South West) of Kolkata Police.
The decision was taken during an emergency meeting held in the state secretariat over the current situation in Howrah district. “These appointments have been initiated in the interest of public service,” the order stated.
On Saturday, internet services were suspended in parts of Murshidabad district till June 14 to stop the spread of misinformation following violence in Howrah, where such a clampdown is already in force.
Internet services have been suspended in Beldanga 1 block covering Beldanga Police Station area and Beldanga 2 block covering Rejinagar and Shaktipur Police Station areas till 6 AM on June 14, an order stated.
Internet services have been suspended in entire Howrah district till June 13 and Section 144 of the CrPC has been imposed in several areas in the state such as Uluberia, Domjur and Panchla till June 15.
Meanwhile, BJP’s West Bengal unit president Sukanta Majumdar was arrested on Saturday afternoon when he was on the way to Howrah, police said. Majumdar, the MP of Balurghat in Uttar Dinajpur, was arrested near the toll plaza on Vidyasagar Setu, they said. “Mr Majumdar was trying to travel to Howrah where prohibitory orders under section 144 of the CrPC have been clamped. His visit could have created a law and order situation,” a police officer told PTI.