West Bengal: Section 144 remains imposed in violence-hit areas

Section 144 continues to remain imposed in all the affected areas, including Baduria and Basirhat areas of West Bengal's North 24 Parganas. The internet services also continue to remain suspended in North 24 Parganas. Section 144 was imposed in Baduria and Basirhat on Wednesday, following a violent clash broke out in state's North 24 Parganas over a Facebook post.

As a precautionary measure, the government also suspended internet services in the area. Communal violence broke out in North 24 Parganas district on Monday over the controversial Facebook post, following which several shops were torched and houses ransacked in Baduria, Tentulia and Golabari. On Monday night, the Baduria Police Station was attacked and set ablaze.

The main accused, who allegedly posted objectionable material on Facebook, was arrested on Monday morning and remanded in four-day police custody. However, this didn't calm down the members of the protesting community and they resorted to violence and torched the home of the accused.

On Tuesday evening, protesters torched police and government vehicles. Superintendent of Police (North 24 Parganas) Bhaskar Mukherjee was also injured when an angry mob attacked him and torched his vehicle. Taking cognizance of the matter, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) sought a detailed report from the Mamata Banerjee-led Government over the violence.

Four companies of the Border Security Force (BSF) and 400 paramilitary personnel were also deployed in the violence hit areas. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee appealed the warring groups to maintain peace and communal harmony in the area. She also held the local police responsible for failing to block Facebook in the very beginning.