Fresh Clashes Erupt In West Bengal During Ram Navami Rally, Internet Suspended

Section 144 has been imposed in West Bengal's Rishra and Serampore and internet services suspended till 10 pm on Monday after clashes broke out between two groups during a Ram Navami procession.

New Delhi: Clashes broke out between two groups during a Ram Navami procession in West Bengal's Hooghly district on Sunday (April 2, 2023) evening, following which the police imposed prohibitory orders and suspended the internet services. According to police, two Ram Navami processions were organised in the Rishra police station area, and the second one was attacked near Wellington Jute Mill More at GT Road around 6.15 pm.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Biman Ghosh was injured in the violence.

A heavy police deployment has now been made in the area to prevent any further flare-ups.

"Police are doing route march, and prohibitory orders under CrPC section 144 have been imposed in Rishra wards 1-5 and Serampore's ward 24. Internet services will remain suspended in parts of Rishra and Serampore till 10 pm on Monday," a senior police officer was quoted as saying by PTI.

West Bengal | State govt suspends internet services in Hooghly district after the clashes during BJP Shobha yatra pic.twitter.com/K3G05HCOFm

— ANI (@ANI) April 2, 2023

West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose said those behind the violence will be "booked tonight itself and put behind bars".

"The miscreants, the hooligans, and the thugs will be crushed with an iron hand. They will be made to curse the day they were born. Mobocracy cannot derail democracy. We are determined, the state is determined to put an end to this arson and looting," he said.

"The lawbreakers and their abettors will soon realise they are playing with fire," he added.

Bose said this kind of hooliganism, which thwarts the democratic processes, will be "coffined".

#WATCH| "Hooligans & thugs will be crushed with an iron hand. They will be made to curse the day they were born. Democracy can’t be derailed. State determined to put an end to this arson & looting......": West Bengal Guv CV Ananda Bose on Hooghly ruckus pic.twitter.com/CuKbZvqdT8 — ANI (@ANI) April 2, 2023

BJP MP Dilip Ghosh, who was in the procession that was attacked, told the news agency PTI that people were walking peacefully to the Jagannath temple in Mahesh when stones were hurled at them.

He said there were many women and children in the procession that was attacked.

"Suddenly, stones were hurled at us from one side of the road. Several policemen were also injured in the stone-pelting even though I and some other leaders were rescued and taken out of the area through adjacent lanes," he said.

Stone pelting from Masjid towards #RamNavami rally at Rishra, Hooghly today. pic.twitter.com/HByHpER7cW — Dilip Ghosh (@DilipGhoshBJP) April 2, 2023

"Police managed to chase away the trouble-makers after being silent spectators for a while," Ghosh alleged.

The fresh clashes erupted two days after violence during Ram Navami celebrations rocked parts of the Howrah district. 

Over 45 people were arrested, prohibitory orders were imposed and the internet was suspended to bring the situation under control.