KOLKATA: Violent protests erupted across several districts of West Bengal on Saturday over the new Waqf law, resulting in the deaths of three people and injuries to at least 15 police personnel. The unrest was reported from Murshidabad, North 24 Parganas, Hooghly, and Malda districts, where vehicles were set ablaze and shops and homes were vandalised and looted.
The protests, which began on 10 April, have escalated sharply, prompting the Centre to deploy 1,600 paramilitary personnel to control the situation. Among them are 300 Border Security Force (BSF) personnel. A total of 21 companies have been deployed in the affected regions. The government has also imposed an internet shutdown in the violence-hit areas and invoked Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) to restore order.
The situation remains tense in West Bengal, with continued security deployment and curfews in place to prevent further escalation.
