West Bengal: Violence erupts in Bhangar against Waqf Act, 16 police officers injured

At least 16 police officers were injured after a protest against the Waqf Act in Bhangar town, in West Bengal’s South 24 Parganas, turned violent on Monday, The Hindu reported.

A mob attacked police personnel, torched five police motorcycles and vandalised a prison van in the Sonepur bazaar area. Following this, Rapid Action Force personnel were deployed to control the situation, The Indian Express reported.

The police said they resorted to lathi charge after around 2,000 protestors held a four-hour dharna and blocked the Basanti highway. The demonstrators also threw stones at the security personnel.

The violence broke out after the police stopped protesters from travelling along the Basanti highway to a protest rally in Kolkata led by Indian Secular Front leader and MLA Nawshad Siddique.

“They were angry as police had in the morning barricaded a three-way junction at Bhojerhat in Bhangar with guard rails, frustrating their plan to join the rally in Sealdah,” an unidentified police officer was quoted as saying by The Times of India. “A scuffle broke out between cops and ISF workers, who tried to break the guard rails.”

Siddiqui eventually held his rally at Kolkata’s Ramlila Maidan instead of Esplanade, The Indian Express reported.

Earlier on Monday, more than 200 persons were arrested in connection with violent protests against the Waqf Act in the state’s Murshidabad...

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