Three people were killed in the Murshidabad district of West Bengal on Saturday amid violent protests over changes effected in the Waqf laws that govern the administration of Muslim charitable properties in the country.

Two among the three killed in the violence were a father and son; their bodies were found, riddled with multiple stab wounds at their home in Jafrabad in the Samserganj area of the district, local police said.
The third person who died had a bullet wound in Dhulian in Samserganj.

Several people were injured, including an unspecified number of security personnel who were “attacked” by the protesters, provoking the cops to use tear gas and conduct a lathi charge.

Violence was also reported from the Malda, South 24 Paraganas, and Hooghly districts of India's eastern state.

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The protesters even set police vehicles on fire, besides blocking railway tracks and vandalising property. Most incidents were reported from the Stuti and Samserganj areas of the Muslim-majority district.

The violence triggered a political slugfest, with the BJP attributing it to the ‘appeasement politics’ of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and her Trinamool Congress.

Union minister and Bengal BJP president Sukanta Majumdar accused the state government of choosing to look the other way as “Hindus are coming under attack” in Samserganj, Suti, and Jangipur.

BJP leader Amit Malviya labelled the chief minister a “liar” and claimed, “... she was the first to stoke widespread discontent against the Waqf amendments... she actively instigated and sponsored violence, particularly after Friday prayers.” He also slammed Mamata for saying she would not implement the law.

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“The truth is... no state government has the authority to block a law passed by the Indian Parliament. Mamata Banerjee has no choice but to comply. She bears full responsibility for the communal violence and the tragic loss of life that has followed,” he said in a post on X.

Earlier, Mamata had posted on X, urging “people of all religions (to) please remain calm”.
“Do not engage in irreligious behaviour in the name of religion. Every human life is precious; do not incite riots for politics...” she said in a post in Bengali.

The CM also said she would not implement the new laws in her state. “We have made our position clear ... we do not support this law. It will not be implemented in our state...”

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Meanwhile, Jawed Shamim, Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order), said the cops were not involved in the firing. “We are not trigger-happy,” he said in response to claims of police firing, stressing that minimum force had been used to disperse protesters and that 118 had been arrested so far.
“We will take strong action against people indulging in hooliganism and rumour-mongering. The situation is under control... everything was normal even last night but today morning there was an unfortunate incident (the gunshot injury),” he told reporters.

According to a senior police officer, tensions started when Muslims gathered after Friday prayers and staged protests against the Waqf Act, blocking a stretch of National Highway-12 from Dakbanglo More in Shamsherganj to Sutir Sajur More.
“The protests turned violent after the agitators hurled stones at a police van, resulting in a clash in which around 10 policemen were injured,” he said.

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Calcutta HC orders deployment of central forces in Murshidabad

The Calcutta High Court has ordered the deployment of central forces in Murshidabad district following violent clashes. The court passed the order after hearing a petition moved by BJP leader and Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari seeking the deployment of central forces in the Muslim-majority district bordering Bangladesh.

"Our focus is to restore peace in Murshidabad. Court cannot keep its eyes shut on what is happening in Murshidabad," the special bench of the Calcutta High Court observed.

(With inputs from agencies)