Anti-Citizenship Amendment Act protests turn violent in West Bengal

Kolkata: Two trains were vandalized, and railway stations, track, property, and RPF vehicles were set on fire as Trinamool Congress and Congress members joined the protests against the new citizenship law (CAA), obstructing train and vehicular movement, prompting the state government to shut down internet services in some parts of West Bengal on Sunday.

Tyres were burnt and key national and state highways were blocked for the third day in the state by anti-CAA protesters in various districts of West Bengal.

With the violence showing no signs of abating, the state government suspended internet services in Malda, Murshidabad, North Dinajpur and Howah districts, and accused some “externally mobilized communal forces” of “inciting violence’ and creating disturbances”.

Sources said the internet would also be shut down in Basirhat and Barasat sub-divisions of North 24 Parganas district and Baruipur and Canning sub-divisions of South 24 Parganas district.

The most serious incident took place in Acra station in the South 24 Parganas district where the protesters vandalized a train and set afire a part of the railway track.

The mob smashed the ticket vending machines and the furniture and set the counter afire along with the paper tickets. The fire brigade could not reach in time due to the road blockades outside the station while the protesters threw stones. Police reinforcements were rushed to the spot which resorted to baton charge and lobbed tear gas shells, forcing the protesters to beat a retreat.

In Usti, protesters staged demonstrations by burning tyres on the road and obstructed train services at Magraaht and Mallickpur stations.

In Murshidabad, protesters vandalised Manigram and Rejinagar stations and torched Railway Protection Force vehicles. Protesters also attacked the police in Rejinagar. The situation turned ugly at Lohapur station in Birbhum district, as a frenzied group of people torched the railway platform. (IANS)

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