CrPC 144 imposed, internet suspended in West Bengal's Hooghly after two groups clashed over COVID fears

Issuing an order, Hooghly District Magistrate Y. Ratnakara Rao has directed all mobile internet and broadband service providers to suspend services while local cable channel operators have been ordered to shut down their broadcasts and signals till 6 pm. on May 17.

Hooghly DM said the action was taken to stop the spread of fake news and false information relating to the incident through Whatsapp groups and other social media platforms.

"The internet and broadband services will remain suspended under the jurisdictions of 10 police stations, including Chandannagar, Bhadreswar, Singur, Haripal and Tarakeswar under Chandannagar SD, and Serampore, Rishra, Uttarpara, Dankuni, Chanditala and Jangipara under Serampore SD," an official said.

Due to the internet suspension, several people from the region, who are currently doing work-from-home due to the ongoing lockdown, have been badly affected as they don't have any other option to continue their work.

According to local sources, recently few people from a particular community had tested positive for Covid-19 in the area and people were reportedly moving there freely violating lockdown and social distancing norms for last few days.

When another group protested it on Sunday night, the clash erupted between the people of two groups.

During the hour-long mayhem, several houses and shops were ransacked, few vehicles, e-rickshaws and motorcycles were vandalized, few local stores were set on fire, and people of the two groups threw bricks and hurled cured bombds at each other. Several were injured.

Later, a heavy police force along with Rapid Action Force (RAF) rushed to the scene and brought the situation under control.

On Monday, West Bengal Home Department claimed on Twitter that the situation had been brought under control.

"Last evening swift and strong action was taken in Telinipara against those who were trying to disturb peace. The situation was immediately brought under control. Telinipara is peaceful now," state Home department tweeted.

"Police will not allow any provocation and strict action will be taken against anyone who tries to create disturbance including those who are posting and circulating false information," it wrote on Twitter.

Lok Sabha MP from Hooghly constituency, Locket Chatterjee, was reportedly prevented by local police while she was trying to enter the scene on Monday.  

Since Tuesday morning, Telinipara had started reporting incidents of fresh violence as these two groups again clashed with each other.

Multiple crude bombs were hurled and several houses were torched during the hour-long violence at Telinipara.

According to the last update, presence of a heavy police along with RAF was reported at the area and police were carrying out route-march at the location to bring the situation under control.

Though senior police and administrative officials denied to speak on the issue, a source in the local police said that at least 60 people have been arrested and further patrolling as well as raids are on.

Meanwhile, report of  another incident came from West Bengal's Malda district on Sunday late night where people from two neighbouring villages clashed with each other over the pandemic fears.

According to reports, a group of people from a particular community recently returned home at Manikbari village from Ajmer in Rajasthan on last Tuesday (May 5) in a special train and few of them tested Covid positive.

After knowing the matter, villagers of neighbouring Chandipur reportedly 'sealed' their village by setting up bamboo-fences at the entry and exit points.

When Manikbari villagers protested against the sealing of Chandipur village as they are fully dependent on the essential markets in the neighbouring village, an argument had started between the people of two neighbouring villages under Harishchandrapur block and it turned into a clash in next few hours.

During the violence, multiple houses were vandalized and the bamboo-fencing were uprooted while multiple villagers were injured in the clash.

Later, police rushed to the area and besides arresting at least six persons, they had imposed CrPC 144 to bring the situation under control.    

On Tuesday, a BJP delegation reportedly met Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar to inform him about the incidents of group clashes in Malda and Hooghly, following which the Governor expressed his concern and asked the state administration to be extremely watchful to bring the situation under control.

"Concerned at incidents at Telinipara in Hooghly Dist. and at Chandipur in Malda Dist-appeal people to observe utmost restraint and maintain communal harmony. Police and administration to be extremely watchful  to contain situation," Jagdeep Dhankhar tweeted.

"Time for all to be in solidarity in Covid-19 combat. Community leaders should be involved in peace making/confidence building. Intelligence be toned up so that disruptive activities could be pre-empted. State cannot afford communal virus," Dhankhar wrote on Twitter.

Meanwhile, without mentioning the names of Malda and Hooghly, West Bengal Chief  Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday said that her police and administration had been directed to strictly tackle group clashes and communal provocations amid lockdown.

"I have instructed my police force to take strict actions against whoever is found involved in riots flouting lockdown and provoking a communal violence in the state," Mamata Banerjee said during a presser at state administrative headquarter at Nabanna.