Mamata's own police refuted her 'outsider' theory in Murshidabad violence: Amit Malviya

Kolkata, April 18 (IANS) West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's “outsider” theory in the recent case of communal violence in minority-dominated Murshidabad district over protests against the Waqf (Amendment) Act has been refuted by the state police, which comes under her direct control, BJP’s Information Technology cell chief and the party’s central observer for the state, Amit Malviya claimed on Friday.

“The West Bengal Police has effectively debunked Home Minister Mamata Banerjee’s claims regarding the recent communal violence in Murshidabad. In its official report, the police confirmed that the mob involved in the deadly violence at Sajur More on April 11 comprised 'local youths' armed with 'deadly weapons', including bombs, and had even 'fired on the police'. Contrary to Banerjee’s suggestion that the violence was orchestrated by outsiders, intelligence inputs had already warned of an 'agitational program' planned by 'some local people' following Jumma prayers," Malviya claimed in a statement which he posted on the wall of his official X handle on Friday afternoon.

Malviya's claims on this count came just a day after a senior official of the state police claimed that complaints of intelligence failure in getting prior input about the protest demonstration becoming violent are being reviewed by the higher officials of the state police department.

In fact, on Thursday, the in-charges of two police stations, namely Samserganj and Suti, the two most troubled pockets in the district, were also replaced. There were complaints about similar intelligence failures against them.

Malviya also claimed that the situation escalated at Dhuliyan, also in Murshidabad district, where mobs blocked the National Highway, hurled stones and bricks, vandalised government and private properties, and resorted to looting and arson, targeting shops, temples, and houses.

“On April 12, unrest continued as an 'agitated mob' attempted to vandalise homes belonging to Hindu families in Ghoshpara, under the jurisdiction of the Samsherganj Police Station,” Malviya added.

Ghoshpara is a small locality of the Hindu community in the thoroughly minority-dominated pocket of Samserganj in Murshidabad district.

--IANS

src/pgh