In Pics: A trail of violence over FB post in Bengal’s North 24 Parganas district

A controversial Facebook post triggered a spiral of violence in West Bengal’s North 24 Parganas district, forcing the government to invoke prohibitory orders, deploy paramilitary forces and shut down the internet.

india Updated: Jul 16, 2017 07:10 IST

HT Correspondent
Hindustan Times, Kolkata

Tensions prevail across Basirhat subdivision in North 24 Parganas, West Bengal over an allegedly objectionable Facebook post by a class XI student. Despite the student’s arrest, protesters attacked the police torching shops and police vehicles. (Samir Jana/HT Photo)

Communal violence broke out in North 24 Parganas district on Monday over a controversial Facebook post, following which several shops were torched and houses ransacked in Baduria, Tentulia and Golabari.

The Baduria Police Station was attached by an angry mob on Monday, a day after an objectionable Facebook post. (Samir Jana / HT Photo)

On Monday night, the Baduria Police Station was attacked and set ablaze. The main accused, who allegedly posted objectionable material on Facebook, was arrested earlier that morning and remanded to four days of police custody.

A police vehicle crosses burnt bus in Sairhat sub-division where protesters also burnt shops, vandalised houses and hurled bombs at the police. (Samir Jana / HT Photo)

But the arrest did not calm down the protesters and they resorted to violence and torched the home of the accused.

Temporary relief camps run by locals have been set in light of the prevailing violence across districts. (Samir Jana / HT Photo)

Children at one of the relief camps set up to safeguard civilians as violence and torching incidents continue. Prohibitory orders were implemented in Baduria and Basirhat on Wednesday. (Samir Jana / HT Photo)

On Tuesday evening, protesters torched police and government vehicles.

Superintendent of Police (North 24 Parganas) Bhaskar Mukherjee was also injured when a mob attacked him and torched his vehicle.

Paramilitary personnel and four companies of the Border Security Force have been deployed to the area. (Samir Jana / HT Photo)

Prohibitory orders which were invoked on Wednesday remain in force in all the affected areas, including Baduria and Basirhat areas of North 24 Parganas. Internet services also remain suspended in North 24 Parganas.

The Union home ministry has sought a detailed report on the violence from the Mamata Banerjee government.

A cyclist passes by the burnt out shell of a West Bengal police vehicle, one of many targeted by protestors using bombs. (Samir Jana / HT Photo)

Four companies of the Border Security Force (BSF) and 400 paramilitary personnel were also deployed in the violence hit areas.

Chief minister Mamata Banerjee has appealed for peace and communal harmony in the area. She also held the local police responsible for failing to block Facebook.