Over eighteen people including two minors and many police personnel were injured and several shops were damaged as violence erupted Wednesday evening after a Ram Navami procession went past a mosque in Beldanga town in West Bengal’s Murshidabad district.
A police team led by Murshidabad DIG Syed Waquar Raza rushed to the spot. Central forces were patrolling the area at the time of filing report. Bengal Police was yet to issue a statement on what led to the incident.
According to the media reports police had to resort lathi charge and fire tear gas shells to keep the two warring groups from clashing. Local claimed 20 people had been arrested for questioning.
“Courageous” West Bengal police!!!
In first video police trying to stop the person from videography,but reluctant to take action on the attackers.
In the second video police men are seen standing idle when bombs are being charged on the procession. Hindus forced them to come… pic.twitter.com/ZtbRVf5Rls
— diptasyaa (@diptasya) April 18, 2024
The in-charge of the local Shaktipur police station was among the injured, while many others sustained sharp cuts on arms and legs.
Police stated some injuries could be due to crumb bomb splinters. Some of the injured were taken to Murshidabad Medical College and Hospital for treatment.
A few participants in the Ram Navami procession brandished swords and hurled mud pellets at the mosque, which led to clashes. However, claimed the procession was attacked unprovoked.
They added, ‘Cops present at the spot were outnumbered and attacked, before forces arrived’. Violence had broken out in the same zone three days back, prompting the poll panel on Monday to transfer Murshidabad DIG Shri Mukesh, and replace him with Raza.
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