Normalcy back in Murshidabadafter Waqf Act protest violence, forces deployed

MURSHIDABAD: The situation in West Bengal’s Dhuliyan town in the Jangipur subdivision of the Murshidabad district is under control after the violent protests staged against the Waqf (Amendment) Act on April 11, officials said.

#WATCH | Murshidabad, West Bengal: Khusbhu Das, a resident of Dhuliyan, says, “Both our shops and house were burnt. Everything was vandalized. We called the police and fire brigade to douse the fire, but no one picked up our calls. We want a permanent camp (of the BSF) here so… https://t.co/BUatLHRFta pic.twitter.com/xySeh0waWL

— ANI (@ANI) April 14, 2025

Security personnel, including BSF and CRPF, have been deployed in the area, and authorities have stated that the situation is now under control. Locals recounted the chaos that unfolded during the violence, which left several shops and properties damaged.

One shopkeeper described the devastation: “My entire building has been destroyed. All the glass has shattered. The rear side of the building was weak — it had wooden windows and doors. They broke through that and entered inside. They caused complete destruction and even looted some of our belongings. Opposite my building, I have a shop. They broke the shutter of that shop too. Monday was a bank holiday, so I received all the payments on Tuesday. I had around Rs13.5 lakh in cash with me. The cash was meant to be deposited at the bank, but it was all stolen. Apart from that, my shop had furniture and equipment worth Rs7-8 lakh, including chairs, tables, CPUs, computers and laptops. Altogether, I had nearly Rs 20-25 lakh in losses”.

Another local shopkeeper, Adhir Ravi Das, shared his plight: “My shop has been completely damaged. Nothing is left. If the administration helps, we will be able to open the shop, or else nothing can be done. Materials worth Rs 6-7 lakhs were in the shop; everything has been burnt. We want peace. Since BSF is here, the situation is normal. We don’t know what will happen if BSF is removed from here. We want a BSF camp here.”

Shopkeeper Habib-ur-Rehman said that the situation has improved. “The situation in Samserganj is normal now. The administration is asking us to open our shops and stay disciplined. The situation has changed after BSF and CRPF have been deployed,” he said.

Security forces continue to patrol sensitive areas to maintain order, and the administration has urged residents to remain calm and resume normal activities. (ANI)