West Bengal violence: Centre seeks report; internet services suspended, Section 144 imposed in sensitive areas

Kolkata: The Ministry of Home Affairs has sought a detailed report from the Mamata Banerjee government a day after communal clashes erupted in North 24 Paraganas district of West Bengal over an "objectionable" post on Facebook.

Internet services have also been suspended and Section 144 has been imposed in the most turbulent areas. 

West Bengal: Internet services disrupted in #Baduria following communal violence in North 24 Parganas. — ANI (@ANI_news) July 5, 2017

The situation prompted the state government to rush 400 troops of paramilitary BSF Tuesday to assist the police in containing the situation.

The violence between two communities at Baduria under Basirhat sub-division in the district started last night over an objectionable post following which a young man was arrested.

A violent mob put up road blockades at several places and attacked members of other community, besides destroying many shops, police said.

There were no immediate reports of any casualty. Shops were shut down in Baduria as tension prevailed there and spread to adjacent areas like Keosha market, Banshtala, Ramchandrapur and Tentulia, the police said.

A senior Border Security Force (BSF) officer said four companies comprising 400 troops of the force's South Bengal Frontier have been deployed in Bashirhat, Swarupnagar, Baduria and Devganga areas to assist the state police in containing the situation.

Meanwhile, a blame game also started over the communal violence inn West Bengal.

In an unprecedented move, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee accused Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi of "threatening" her over phone and said that he was acting like a "BJP block president".

The BJP, meanwhile, alleged that over 2,000 Muslims attacked Hindu families in North 24 Parganas district and its offices at several places were set on fire.

Accusing the state police of failure to control the situation, BJP general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya, who is also in-charge of the state, wrote a letter to Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh to intervene in the matter.

The West Bengal government has dispatched a special team of the state police and Kolkata Police to the riot-hit area to monitor the situation.

The Chief Minister also appealed to top leaders of both the communities that her government would not tolerate "this hooliganism".

State BJP President Dilip Ghosh said if the Governor asked her about the incident, where was the question of her being insulted.