Violence Breaks Out in Bengal's Mominpur, BJP State Chief Among 5 Arrested; Section 144 Clamped

Violence erupted in West Bengal’s Mominpur area on Sunday as two communities clashed after religious flags put up for Milad un-Nabi were allegedly torn. As per reports, several vehicles were vandalised and people pelted stones.

So far, authorities have not put out any official statement as to how and why the tension erupted between the two communities.

Five people, including BJP state president Sukanta Majumdar, have reportedly been arrested in connection with the violence while around 38 others have been detained for causing ruckus.

Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Suvendu Adhikari on Monday wrote to Home Minister Amit Shah requesting urgent deployment of Central forces. Apart from that, Adhikari also demanded the ransacking of Ekbalpur police station. Adhikari also wrote to Bengal Governor La Ganesan.

“I have written to Hon’ble Union Home Minister Shri @AmitShah Ji & Hon’ble Governor Shri La Ganesan Ji requesting them to urgently deploy Central Forces in the wake of Mominpur violence & ransacking of Ekbalpur Police Station before the Law & Order situation of WB gets out of hand,” Adhikari tweeted. A large number of people surrounded the Ekbalpur Police Station late in the night on Sunday, after which security was tightened.

Meanwhile, section 144 has been imposed for the next three days in pockets of Mominpur-Ekbalpore under Kolkata Police jurisdiction prohibiting gatherings of more than 5 people.

BJP leader Amit Malviya shared a visual from the violence and blamed the West Bengal government. “Under Mamata Banerjee as Home Minister, Kolkata has become completely unsafe, communal riots have become common,” he wrote.

BJP leader Swapan Dasgupta wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the violent incident. He took to Twitter, and wrote, “The rampaging mob violence targeting businesses and property of the Hindu minority in the Kidderpore- Ekbalpur region of Kolkata is alarming. It stems from the distorted empowerment resulting from a belief that one community is above the law and the norms of civic responsibility.”

BJP state president Sukanta Majumdar accused the Bengal Police of “failing to protect Hindus” amid the violence in the Mominpur area.

“Shameful that West Bengal police under CM @MamataOfficial failed in protecting the Hindu brothers and sisters and when we are going to visit the violence hit Mominpur, arrested me,” Majumdar said.

Tension flared up in Mominpur on Sunday evening after religious flags put up in the area for the Milad-un-Nabi festival were allegedly torn up. It soon turned violent and several vehicles and shops were vandalised.

Reports said a group of people later in the night surrounded the Ekbalpore police station in protest against the violence and demanding the arrest of the accused. Some police personnel have been reportedly injured. Security has been tightened in the area since then.

(With agency inputs)

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