After Murshidabad, tensions flared in Bhangar, South 24 Parganas, on Monday as protests against the amended Waqf Act intensified. Although the situation was initially brought under control, fresh unrest broke out in the Sonepur area where protestors torched five police motorcycles and vandalised multiple vehicles.
A petition has been filed in the Supreme Court seeking a court-monitored Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the violence that erupted during a protests against the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025 in the West Bengal's Murshidabad district.
The petition filed by advocate Shashank Shekhar Jha also urged the apex court to seek an explanation from West Bengal government and Union Home Ministry as to the failure of the law-and-order machinery and direct compensation and rehabilitation for victims.
The agitations came in the wake of similar incidents in Malda and Murshidabad.
Sources suggest that eight cops were injured, a police van and bikes were vandalised, and two people were arrested in connection with the fresh violence.
A suo moto case has been registered at the police station under Kolkata Police. Raids are currently underway to nab the remaining accused, said officials.
In Bhangar, the protests were initiated by the Indian Secular Front (ISF), which had called for a rally at Ramlila Maidan in the heart of Kolkata. As ISF leaders and supporters began moving towards Kolkata in groups from Minakhan, Basanti and Bhangar, they encountered resistance from police forces, turning the area into a virtual battleground. The Basanti Highway was blocked as clashes erupted.
Police attempted to disperse the crowd and restore order using a lathicharge. However, later in the day, a fresh round of violence erupted in Sonepur, where protestors set fire to police bikes and shattered the windows of several private vehicles.
Additional Director General of police (Law and Order), however, Jawed Shamim issued a firm message on Monday, saying that the police will dig out the culprits from beneath the earth if necessary and ensure they are brought to justice.
“Whether they are members of any political party or organization, we will not see. All those involved in this incident will be punished. If necessary, we will dig them out from beneath the earth and bring them to justice,” Shamim said.
Shamim’s statement statement made it clear that no one involved in the violence will be spared.
Over 200 individuals have already been arrested and FIRs continue to be filed. The police are working around the clock to identify and apprehend all those responsible.
Shamim said that the investigation will be impartial and thorough, with zero tolerance for incitement or violence, regardless of affiliation.
Meanwhile, in Kolkata, tensions brewed over an ISF-led procession from Sealdah to Dharmatala. Authorities halted the march due to the absence of prior permission. ISF MLA Naushad Siddiqui was informed that the rally could only proceed if official clearance was shown.
Despite this, Siddiqui remained defiant. Addressing party workers and supporters, he urged them to carry the national flag instead of party flags, underscoring the protest as a people’s movement rather than a partisan demonstration.
Additionally, the Bengal police have received credible inputs suggesting SDPI’s hand in orchestrating the unrest, as per the sources. For the past several days, SDPI members had reportedly been mobilising local Muslim youth under the pretext of opposing the Waqf amendment.
“Workers of SDPI, founded in 2009 after SIMI was outlawed, went door to door in various areas, spreading fear among teenagers and yoputh, warning them that the government was planning to seize Muslim-owned properties in the name of Waqf reforms,” said an officer of the state’s Intelligence Branch (IB).
The situation turned volatile after the death of Ijaz Ahmed, who had been injured in a police clash and later succumbed to his injuries in a Murshidabad hospital on Saturday. “His family has confirmed police about the presence of an SDPI-led campaign in the area, further fueling the allegations,” said the officer.
Police officials highlighted that Murshidabad has historically seen the presence of extremist outfits. It was once a hub for SIMI and later became a stronghold for the Popular Front of India (PFI), a radical organisation having links with Bangladesh-based fundamentalist groups. The SDPI, with connections to both groups, is now reportedly well-rooted in the district.
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