Murshidabad (West Bengal), April 13: In response to the recent outbreak of violence in Murshidabad, sparked by protests against the Waqf (Amendment) Act, West Bengal Police have arrested 150 individuals and deployed additional forces across affected areas including Samserganj and Dhuliyan, to restore peace and maintain law and order.
On Saturday, a special bench of the Calcutta High Court ordered the immediate deployment of central forces in Murshidabad following the unrest that has claimed three lives so far. The court also directed both the state and central governments to submit detailed reports on the situation, with the next hearing set for April 17.
The violence stems from demonstrations against the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025, which was passed by both Houses of Parliament earlier this month and received Presidential assent on April 5. Protesters have expressed concerns over the implications of the law for the Muslim community and Waqf property management.
Advocate Anish Mukherjee, representing Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari, filed a PIL seeking central force deployment and a National Investigation Agency (NIA) probe into the incidents. “For several days now, we have been witnessing widespread violence throughout the state of West Bengal, particularly in the Murshidabad district,” Mukherjee stated.
Amid escalating tensions, West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose urged the Mamata Banerjee-led state government to take strict action against those inciting violence in Murshidabad and North 24 Parganas, including areas like Amtala, Suti, and Dhuliyan.
In Jangipur, security was heightened after public property was damaged during the protests. Meanwhile, demonstrations were also held in Siliguri and Kolkata, where Aliah University students staged a sit-in opposing the amended Act.
Despite opposition protests, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has launched a ‘Waqf Reforms Awareness Campaign’, scheduled from April 20 to May 5, to inform the Muslim community about the supposed benefits of the Act.
As the situation in Murshidabad stabilizes, law enforcement remains on high alert to prevent further unrest.