A request has been made for the deployment of central paramilitary forces in the troubled area of Beldanga in West Bengal’s Murshidabad district. An application for a public interest litigation (PIL) has been submitted to the Calcutta High Court, with Chief Justice Sujoy Paul granting permission for the case filing. The Leader of the Opposition in the state Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, and senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader, had urged Governor CV Ananda Bose to deploy central paramilitary forces in Beldanga.
The tension in the Murshidabad district escalated from January 16 following violent protests over the death of a migrant worker from the district in Jharkhand. Beldanga witnessed unrest on Saturday morning, a day after a similar protest occurred in the area. Protesters blocked the Barua More intersection, demonstrating against the alleged killing of a migrant worker in Jharkhand. The National Highway-12 was also obstructed by protesters seeking justice for the incident.
The situation further intensified when media personnel covering the incident were attacked. Railway lines near Maheshpur on the Sealdah-Lalgola section were blocked by protesters who displayed photos of the deceased on bamboo poles. An altercation between the police and local residents occurred upon police arrival at the site. Notably, questions arose regarding the delayed visit of Trinamool Congress Baharampur MP Yusuf Pathan to the area.
Yusuf Pathan eventually visited the area three days after the incident to assess the situation. Following the incident, 30 individuals, including a leader of the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), have been arrested. Police resorted to a cane charge to restore order and remove blockades. Fortunately, on January 18, the area did not witness any fresh violence.
