After Howrah district, West Bengal government has on Saturday suspended internet services in parts of Murshidabad till 6 am on June 14, to stop rumours and prevent unlawful activities in wake of protests over controversial remarks by suspended BJP leaders Nupur Sharma and Naveen Jindal on Prophet Mohammad.
According to the government order, internet services have been suspended in Beldanga 1 block covering Beldanga Police Station area and Beldanga 2 block covering Rejinagar and Shaktipur Police Station areas till 6 am on June 14.
Besides, internet services have been suspended in entire Howrah district till June 13 and Section 144 of CrPC has been imposed in several areas such as Uluberia, Domjur and Panchla till June 15.
Meanwhile, fresh violence was reported in Panchla Bazaar area in Howrah district today as protesters clashed with the police and several houses were set on fire, a senior officer said.
Protesters pelted policemen with stones, injuring some of them, and also vandalised a BJP party office.
Several fire tenders were pressed into service as police lobbed tear gas shells to disperse the protesters, the officer said, adding the situation was "under control" at the moment.
"The agitators have been dispersed. Some policemen have been injured in the stone-pelting. We are conducting a route march in the area. The situation is under control," he said.
BJP's West Bengal unit president Sukanta Majumdar, who was on the way to violence-hit Howrah district, was arrested today afternoon.
"Mr Majumdar was trying to travel to Howrah where prohibitory orders under section 144 of the CrPC have been clamped. His visit could have created a law and order situation. This is a preventive arrest," a senior police officer told news agency PTI.
Majumdar said the situation in West Bengal was fast-turning into that in Kashmir.
"First, they stopped me at my home. I was put under house arrest. Later, they allowed me to leave my residence. Now, they have stopped me on Vidyasagar Setu and arrested me. The police are saying that as prohibitory orders under section 144 of the CrPC have been imposed, no one will be allowed to visit the area," he told reporters before being taken into custody.
"We used to read news about leaders in Kashmir being put under house arrest. Today, a similar thing happened here. The state is fast turning into Kashmir," he added.
Following Majumdar's arrest, BJP leaders and workers hit the streets in protest.
