Trinamool MP Claims Outsiders Behind Murshidabad Violence

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Outsiders are believed to be responsible for the violence.
- The situation in Murshidabad remains tense.
- A rise in arrests has been reported.
- CAPF has been deployed to manage the unrest.
- Local leaders acknowledge the outsider involvement.
Kolkata, April 13 (NationPress) Trinamool Congress MP Khalilur Rahaman from the Jangipur constituency stated on Sunday that early investigations reveal that the individuals responsible for the communal violence in certain regions of the minority-majority Murshidabad district of West Bengal, which has become unstable in recent days due to demonstrations against the Waqf (Amendment) Act, were mainly outsiders rather than local residents.
Following the deployment of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) in the district on Saturday night, focusing on the nine most affected areas, families impacted by the violence have begun to step forward and share their terrifying experiences from the past few days.
According to the accounts provided to the CAPF and media representatives, a majority of the individuals involved in the vandalism were indeed outsiders who appeared suddenly, executed the destruction, and then departed.
Victims have also reported that several of the individuals participating in the vandalism appeared to be underage.
Meanwhile, the number of arrests, initially reported as 118 by Saturday evening, has risen to 150 by Sunday morning, as confirmed by a district police official.
The assertion that outsiders were behind the violence has also been acknowledged by the leadership of the ruling Trinamool Congress in Murshidabad.
Khalilur Rahaman mentioned that the attackers were primarily outsiders to Murshidabad, although he could not specify their origin.
"They could have come from nearby Malda and Nadia districts via land or water routes through the Ganga and Bhagirathi Rivers. The positioning of Murshidabad allows access through both land and water routes," Rahaman elaborated.
Furthermore, Manirul Islam, a Trinamool Congress legislator whose residence was targeted by a group of flash mobs, has also supported the outsider narrative. "Such incidents have never occurred in this locality. This could not have transpired without the orchestration of outsiders. While some locals might be involved in the rampage, the main perpetrators came from outside," stated Islam.
Despite the significant presence of CAPF personnel, tension continues to linger in the affected regions of Suti, Samserganj, Dhulian, and Jangipur, among others in the district.
The deployment of CAPF forces followed a directive from a special division bench of the High Court on Saturday evening. The CAPF began patrolling the affected areas that night, with Rajeev Kumar, the Director General of State Police, arriving in Murshidabad to oversee coordination with administrative officials and commanding officers of the CAPF.
Police and CAPF personnel have been stationed at all entry points to Murshidabad, both by road and water. Every vehicle or boat entering the district is being meticulously inspected, and passengers are being questioned before they are allowed entry.