Violence-hit Baduria in Bengal peaceful, says state police dept

The ruling Trinamool Congress criticised the opposition parties for trying to go to sensitive areas and appealed to them to maintain peace in the area

The situation in communal violence-hit Baduria and its adjoining areas in West Bengal's North 24 Parganas district remained peaceful on Friday, after being on the boil for the last few days, police said.

“The situation was peaceful throughout the day. No untoward incidents have been reported so far. There is strict police vigil at various entry and exit points of the area,” said a senior officer from Baduria police station.

The officer said that pickets have been set up in the sensitive pockets of the area and police and other security forces are conducting a route march.

The internet services remained suspended in four police station areas of Basirhat, Baduria, Swarupnagar and Deganga area.

Meanwhile, the inspector in-charge of the Basirhat police station has been transferred to East Midnapore district's Tamluk on Friday and Biswajit Banerjee, Inspector in-charge of North 24 Pargana district's Duttapukur has been shifted to Basirhat, police sources said.

Earlier in the day, delegations of the Left, Congress and BJP were stopped by police from going to the Baduria, 58 km from Kolkata.

The ruling Trinamool Congress criticised the opposition parties for trying to go to sensitive areas and appealed to them to instead help maintain peace.

Clashes broke out between the members of two communities in Baduria after a provocative social media post went viral in the region.

Though the youth who was involved was arrested and the post deleted, trouble broke out and spread to several areas with trees being felled to put up road blockades, vehicles, including those of the police, torched and houses and shops damaged.

A number of police personnel were injured in the clashes and the central government rushed 300 paramilitary personnel to the area.