Two people were killed and one was left injured after a clash broke out between two groups during an anti-CAA protest in Murshidabad’s Jalangi area in West Bengal.
A senior police official told news agency PTI that the incident occurred after an argument broke out between the groups over the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA).
As per PTI report, the injured were rushed to Murshidabad Medical College and Hospital.
The two deceased have been identified as Anirudh Biswas and Maqbool Sheikh, as reported by news agency ANI.
According to the police, a scuffle broke out between local TMC leaders and residents' forum 'Nagarik Mancha', which was observing a shutdown in the area against the amended citizenship act and the proposed country-wide NRC.
The residents’ forum was asked to withdraw the shutdown and the situation turned violent as both sides came to blows and hurled bombs at each other.
Several two-wheelers and cars were damaged and set on fire during the clash.
Following the incident, security has been beefed up and heavy police have been deployed in the area.
Local TMC MP Abu Taher denied that the party was involved in the clash and alleged that the violence was by Congress and CPI(M) supporters.
“I have requested the police to look into the incident. The culprits should be immediately arrested.”Abu Taher, TMC MP
Senior Congress leader and MLA Manoj Chakraborty said that the party was not involved in the incident and demanded a judicial inquiry into it.
The Muslim-majority district had witnessed violence and arson during the anti-CAA protests across the state in December last year.
West Bengal became the fourth state after Left-ruled Kerala, and Congress-ruled Punjab and Rajasthan to have passed a resolution on 27 January against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act. The state Assembly had on 6 September 2019 passed a resolution against NRC
(With inputs from PTI and ANI)
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