Prophet Row Prophet row: Fresh violence rocks West Bengal; 12 police personnel injured; 70 people arrested
Kolkata: While Howrah remained on the boil, at least 12 police personnel were injured Saturday in Murshidabad's Rejinagar area when they went to lift a blockade on a highway near the local bus stand as violence over a former BJP spokesperson's remarks on Prophet Muhammad failed to subside. The administration has suspended internet in parts of the district till 6 am on June 14.
West Bengal Police arrested more than 70 people from different parts of the state, including Howrah, in connection with the violent protests, ransacking, vandalism, arson and damage to the public property and attack on police personnel.
On Saturday, multiple crude bombs were recovered from Domjur's Salap area in Howrah where a violent protest was staged by Muslims yesterday over the prophet row.
Police said the protesters attacked the cops when they went to lift a blockade on the highway near the local bus stand in Murshidabad's Rejinagar that had been going on for nearly two hours. The cops had to fire tear gas shells to disperse the mob.
Amid unabated violent protests, vandalism and arson in the Howrah district, superintendent of police of Howrah (Rural) Saumya Roy and police commissioner of Howrah (City) C Sudhakar have been transferred.
The administration said internet services were suspended in Beldanga 1 block covering Beldanga Police Station area and Beldanga 2 block covering Rejinagar and Shaktipur Police Station areas of Murshidabad (a minority-dominated district) till 6 am on June 14 to avoid the spread of misinformation.
Internet services have been suspended in the entire Howrah district till June 13 and Section 144 of the CrPC has been imposed in several areas such as Uluberia, Domjur, and Panchla till June 15.
Meanwhile, the West Bengal Commission for Protection of Child Rights (WBCPCR) sent a show-cause notice to Furfura Sharif for using children in demonstration/movement in Howrah's Domjur.
Earlier on Saturday, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said her government will deal with the violence in the Howrah district over the Prophet Muhammad row "strictly".
Days after former BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma's comments on Prophet Mohammed triggered widespread criticism across the globe, Muslims staged agitation across India.
In West Bengal, despite Banerjee's request not to block roads, Muslims have been staging demonstrations at multiple locations in Howrah and blocking roads as well as railway tracks.
On Thursday, a large mob of the religious minority community had blocked Kolkata-Mumbai National Highway in Howrah's Ankurhati area for more than 10 hours, leaving the vehicular movement paralyzed.
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