After Murshidabad, Fresh Violence Erupts in South 24 Parganas Over Waqf Amendment Act in Bengal

Rekindling the flames of violence just days after the unrest in Murshidabad in West Bengal over Waqf (Amendment) Act, it was now the turn of agitating ISF supporters to clash with policemen at Bhangar in South 24 Parganas on Monday. Several people suffered injuries in this incident. Many police vehicles were burnt in the violence.

The clash broke out when police tried to stop the ISF supporters from progressing towards the Ramlila Maidan in central Kolkata to get an entry into the anti-Waqf (Amendment) Act meeting addressed by Naushad Siddique, a party leader and Bhangar MLA.

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Videos from the violence-affected zone showed the rampant destruction of a few police motorbikes as well as an overturned police bus whose windshield was ripped off. In the video, large contingents of police could also be seen on the streets.

According to sources from the news agency PTI, the thousands of protesters were stopped near Bhojerhat on the Basanti Highway, where large contingents of ISF workers have gathered from Bhangar and also neighbouring areas such as Minakhan and Sandeshkhali.

VIDEO | West Bengal: Tension in South 24 Parganas' Bhangar as Indian Secular Front (ISF) workers clashed with city police. They also set a van ablaze. More details awaited.

(Full video available on PTI Videos - https://t.co/bnF8OnGu37) pic.twitter.com/fk17Jufpl3

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) April 14, 2025

Tension intensified, as people tried to breach the police barricade, resulting in a clash between both parties. "Some police vehicles were set on fire by the protesters, and a few police personnel were injured when the agitators attacked the law enforcers," a senior police officer said.

Eyewitnesses said police resorted to lathi-charge to disperse the protesters. This was because the Ramlila Ground rally did not have proper police permission. As a result, at least one ISF worker suffered injuries on the head. Upon sudden escalation, several ISF activists staged a sit-in on the highway, resulting in heavy snarls on the road.

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Some of the senior officers were among the huge police force who got into the area for the situation control. A high alert was issued in the areas around. The protesters then were dispersed. ISF also alleged that the BJP was inciting communal tensions and the ruling Trinamool Congress was being oppressive in its protests against the opposition.

"The chief minister has said that the new Waqf law will not be implemented in West Bengal. We welcome that. But then why are police stopping our workers from attending a peaceful rally? Does the right to protest belong only to the Trinamool Congress?" he asked.

Communal violence broke out in some areas of Murshidabad, such as Suti, Dhulian, and Jangipur, on Friday and Saturday over the protests regarding the Waqf (Amendment) Act. The number of casualties now rises to three, along with several victims sharing the fate with the injured.

Images from the affected areas showed the charred remains of shops, homes, and hotels. In a bid to calm tempers, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced on Saturday that her government would not implement the Waqf Act in the state.

Acting on a petition by BJP stalwart Suvendu Adhikari, the Calcutta High Court Saturday awarded its directive for the deployment of CAPF in the violence-hit areas to restore normalcy and law within the community.

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