West Bengal violence: Amid heavy deployment of the police force in the violence-hit Hooghly district in West Bengal, the internet services continue to remain suspended and the prohibitory order was still in force in Rishra town. However, no incident of violence or arson was reported from anywhere in the district, the police said.
Speaking to the media, a senior police officer of Chandannagore Police Commissionerate claimed that things are under control and there is no incident of any disturbance from anywhere in the district. "We have our forces deployed at crucial junctions and areas. Nobody is allowed to roam around without any purpose. We are trying to bring back life to normalcy," he added.
Police arrest several people
The police officer also said that several people have been arrested for their alleged involvement in Sunday's violence. A decision on withdrawing prohibitory orders and removal of the suspension of internet services in the area would be taken later in the day following an evaluation of the situation, he added.
Following clashes over the Ram Navami procession in the state, fresh violence had broken out in the Hoogly district, disrupting the train services at the busy Howrah-Burdwan main division of Eastern Railways. According to reports, several regions under the limits of Rishra police station were turned into virtual "battlefields" on late Sunday evening.
At around 10:30 PM on Monday, the situation became tense near the Rishra railway station when a group of people started throwing large crude bombs at the railway gate near the station.
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Bengal governor visits Hoogly
After receiving information about fresh violence in Hooghly last night, West Bengal Governor CV Anand Bose also curtailed his programme in Darjeeling and returned to Kolkata. Later, he also visited violence-hit Hoogly and is also likely to meet victims. Meanwhile, the Governor met local police and took stock of the situation.
Mamata accuses BJP of inciting violence
Meanwhile, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee lambasted the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), accusing it of "hiring goons" from Bihar to incite violence. She said that the rioters do not belong to any religion and they are the "BJP goons".
"I have to be alert all the time lest BJP incites riots. They don't understand that the people of Bengal don't like violence. Rioting is not Bengal's culture. We don't engage in riots, the general public doesn't incite riots. When BJP can't on its own, it hires people to fan riots. They (BJP) are bringing goons from Bihar. All people from Bihar are not goons. The rioters are not Hindus or Muslims or Sikhs or Adivasis, they are BJP goons.," Mamata added.
(With inputs from agencies)
