Murshidabad riots: Suspension of internet extended to Malda, Birbhum

Amid the continuing air of tension in Murshidabad district of West Bengal, which has been on the boil for the last few days with violent protests over the Waqf (Amendment) Act, the administration has decided to extend the suspension of internet services to the adjacent districts of Malda and Birbhum.

At the same time, some additional areas in the Murshidabad district have also been brought under the ambit of the suspension of Internet services.

Earlier, the suspension of internet services was enforced mainly in troubled areas like Suti, Jangipur, Dhulian and Samserganj, the areas that were most affected by violence and riot-like situations.

An insider from the state police said that although following the beginning of joint patrolling by the state police and the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) personnel since Saturday night, 12 April, following an order of a special division bench of the Calcutta High Court, the situation in Murshidabad has come more or less unless control as of now.

The main headache for the law enforcement authorities is the continued spreading and sharing of fake information regarding the tensions on different social media platforms. The suspension of internet services in the extended areas will be enforced till 10 p.m. on 15 April.

Whether the suspension will be lifted or not after that will be decided according to the situation then.

Meanwhile, the Border Security Force (BSF), whose personnel are mainly deputed to the troubled areas, will send a comprehensive report on the developments following the visit of the BSF’s additional director general (Eastern Command) Ravi Gandhi to the troubled pockets. During the visit, Gandhi will review the deployment of the BSF personnel in the region and also discuss with senior officers of the state police how better coordination may be achieved on this count.

The BSF has also been alerted to ensure absolute security of the villages adjacent to the international borders with Bangladesh in the Murshidabad and Malda districts, to ensure that members from underground extremist groups there cannot enter the Indian territory and fuel the existing tension.

Meanwhile, as per the latest report available, almost 500 families from the different troubled pockets in the Murshidabad district are currently homeless and have taken shelter in a temporary relief camp at a school in the adjacent Malda district. These families are mainly from the Dhulian and Samserganj areas.