Nine arrested for violence over Waqf Act in West Bengal
Kolkata: Nine people were arrested for violence over the Waqf (Amendment) Act in West Bengal, Kolkata Police said on Tuesday.
Kolkata Police said the arrests were made in connection with violence at Bhangar in South 24 Parganas district on Monday.
The violence was carried out by All India Secular Front (AISF) activists after they were stopped from approaching Kolkata from Bhangar to participate in a rally protesting against the Waqf Act, the police said.
The police have registered five cases in connection with the matter.
The AISF supporters blocked the Basanti Highway, and the tension mounted further as the police tried to remove the blockades using force. During the violence, AISF activists torched five police motorcycles.
They claimed that apart from that, a police vehicle and a prison van were also vandalised.
The police started action on Monday evening and conducted raids and search operations to track those involved in the vandalism. Finally, after the nightlong raid and search operations, nine people were arrested.
“Some other individuals involved in the vandalism are still absconding, and efforts on our part are still underway to track them. The accused had been booked on charges of destruction of public property,” said a city police official.
He added that the situation at Bhangar is totally under control and peaceful as of Tuesday afternoon. However, the cops are constantly alerting the people to ignore attempts by vested interests to spread rumours. A huge police contingent is still deployed at Bhangar, and they will continue to remain so for some more time.
Recently, Bhangar, where political clashes had been frequent traditionally since the previous Left Front regime, was shifted from the jurisdiction of South 24 Parganas district police and brought under the jurisdiction of Kolkata Police to establish better control over the law and order situation there.