West Bengal Bandh Latest updates: Fresh violence broke out in Islampur, where two students were killed in alleged police firing. Reports said that protesters torched a bus and clashed with the police, following which the police fired teargas shells. Normal life in main Kolkata remained largely unaffected by the bandh call, however, reports of minor clashes and protests came from city’s suburbs and other parts of the state surfaced. Rail and road transport was hit in Burdwan, North 24 Parganas, and Uttar Dinajpur districts amid other pockets. BJP leader Roopa Ganguly reached Kolkata’s Gariahat with party cadres and took out a march. She slammed the TMC government for stiffling dissent and “mercilessly killing people”. Roopa also questioned police’ claims that the two protesting students in Islampur did not die in police firing. She said that if the police’s claims were true, why was the autopsy conducted in the dead of the night. Police lathicharged BJP supporters in Neamatpur of Asansol who were blocking roads and burning tyres on GT road. Later, many BJP supporters were arrested by the police. The party’s procession moved all across the Neamatpur Bazar area. The West Bengal police has deployed a top cop at every major traffic point. The security has been tightened across state as the TMC government has warned of strict action against anyone trying to disrupt normal life. The train services have taken a massive hit in several parts of West Bengal. Services came to a total standstill at all major stations in North 24 Parganas district meanwhile local train services in Kolkata were also hit. BJP cadres and ABVP workers have descended on the streets trying to stop usual traffic from running. The bandh supporters also blocked railway lines disrupting the Sealdah South and Howrah main lines of the local train. In Krishnanagar-Shantipur section the bandh supporters obstructed railway track between Shantipur- Phulia as well as on the Sealdah Ranaghat section The West Bengal unit of Bharatiya janata Party is holding a 12-hour-long bandh today in the state against the killings of two students in alleged police firing. [caption id=“attachment_5263401” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]
BJP supporters stop a train at North 24 Parganas district. A Ghosh, 101 Reporters[/caption] The Opposition BJP took out rallies in the city and the state on Tuesday in support the bandh it has called on Wednesday, while the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) brought out processions denouncing it. The BJP has called a 12-hour shutdown on 26 September to protest the killing of two students in a clash with police at Islampur in North Dinajpur district on last Thursday. “The people are fed up with this government. They will participate in this strike peacefully. But if the TMC and its goons try to foil the strike, there will be repercussions,” BJP state president Dilip Ghosh said. If the Opposition parties call a bandh, the state government goes all out to foil a strike, he said, and wondered if Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee forgot how many strikes her party had called in West Bengal since 1998, the year the TMC was formed. “The state government is trying to hush up the Islampur incident. But we won’t stop until and unless justice is delivered,” Ghosh said. Both the BJP and the TMC took out rallies in various parts of the state in support and against the strike call respectively. The TMC leaders alleged that the BJP sought to stop the developmental work in the state. “The BJP is trying to foment trouble in the state. The state government will take all the steps to ensure that normal life is not disturbed. The police will take stern action if anyone tries to enforce the strike,” TMC secretary general Partha Chatterjee said. State-run buses will be on the road, he said urging commercial establishments and private educational institutes to function normally Wednesday. The Opposition Congress and the CPM have opposed the killing of two youths in Islampur but did not support the strike call accusing both the TMC and the BJP of trying to create communal polarisation in the state over the incident.
West Bengal Bandh updates: Fresh violence breaks out in Islampur, where two students were killed; police fires teargas shells
West Bengal Bandh LIVE updates: Fresh violence broke out in Islampur, where two students were killed in alleged police firing. Reports said that protesters torched a bus and clashed with the police, following which the police fired teargas shells.
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Bus torched in Kolkata’s Brabourn Road by bandh supporters
Input by A Ghosh, Team101 Reporters
Violence broke out in Islampur, where two students were killed
Fresh violence broke out in Islampur, where two students were killed in alleged police firing. Reports said that protesters torched a bus and clashed with the police, following which the police fired teargas shells.
Input by A Ghosh, Team 101 Reporters
Sporadic violence during BJP-called Bengal shutdown
Sporadic incidents of violence and vandalism were reported from some West Bengal districts on Wednesday during the BJP sponsored 12-hour shutdown in the state. Normal life though remained largely unaffected in the capital city and adjoining suburbs.
Most of the impact of the shutdown was felt in parts of North Dinajpur district where two youths were allegedly killed during a clash last week between agitating students and the police over teacher recruitment at a state-run school.
The BJP supporters created road blockades in several areas in the district by felling tree trunks and burning tyres in the Islampur area. A number of state-run buses were vandalised and set on fire. Women and youths, armed with bamboo sticks and iron rods, were seen obstructing the traffic on the roads.
BJP demands CBI probe into death of two students
BJP has demanded a Central Bureau of Investigation probe into the death of two Islampur students who were killed in alleged police firing. The students were protesting seeking the deployment of teachers for subjects like Math, Science, and History.
40 BJP workers arrested from Dilip Ghosh’s rally at Hazra More in Kolkata
After BJP leader Dilip Ghosh took out a protest march at Hazra More, the police has arrested at least 40 of party’s cadres from the area. A TMC rally is later scheduled to be held at the same spot.
With inputs from Team101 reporters
12-year-old injured in police lathicharge in Murshidabad
A 12-year-old child, who was reportedly supporting the bandh in Murshidabad, was injured as police was trying to round up the protesters. He was walking away when police lathi charged the protesters and released a tear gas.
Input by A Ghosh, Team101 Reporters
Dilip Ghosh starts rally in Rash Behari avenue in Kolkata
Kolkata unaffected by BJP’s shutdown call; clashes reported from other parts of state
Normal life in main Kolkata remained largely unaffected by the bandh call, however, reports of minor clashes and protests came from city’s suburbs and other parts of the state surfaced. Rail and road transport was hit in Burdwan, North 24 Parganas, and Uttar Dinajpur districts amid other pockets.
Bandh takes effect in North Murshidabad district; rail services hit
BJP leader Dilip Ghosh to address rally in Rash Behari, Kolkata
BJP leader Dilip Ghosh is set to address a rally in Kolkata’s Rash Behari avenue. After Roopa Ganguly, Ghosh’s would be the next big event planned as part of bandh call and protests planned for the day. The state administration has made heavy police bundobust ahead of the rally. A special team of woman police officers are also deployed.
Drivers of government buses ply wearing helmets; private vehicles remain off roads
The state transport buses were seen plying on roads even as some drivers were seen wearing helmets for safety. However, despite heavy police deployment private vehicles mostly remained off roads in Jhargram, Howrah, North 24 Pargana and other parts of state.
Roopa Ganguly takes out protest march at Kolkata’s Gariahat
Roopa Ganguly reaches Gariahat, says ‘TMC is killing people mercilessly’
BJP leader Roopa Ganguly reached Kolkata’s Gariahat with party cadres and took out a march. She slammed the TMC government for stiffling dissent and “mercilessly killing people”. Roopa also questioned police’ claims that the two protesting students in Islampur did not die in police firing. She said that if the police’s claims were true, why was the autopsy conducted in the dead of the night.
Police lathicharge BJP protestors for blocking roads
Police did lathicharge on BJP supporters in Neamatpur of Asansol who were blocking roads and burning tyres on GT road. Later, many BJP supporters were arrested by the police. The party’s procession moved all across the Neamatpur Bazar area.
BJP leader Amit Gorai said that they have took out a silent procession in favour of the bandh but police did lathicharge on their supporters and arrested them. The next big rally is now planned at 10.45 am by Dilip Ghosh at Rasbehari
Women BJP cadre assaulted in Barasat
TMC leader from Barasat, near Kolkata, Arshad Ujjaman kicked a woman BJP supporter participating in the protests. She was protesting against the islampur death and supporting bandh. Meanwhile, the incident happened amid police presence as the said TMC worker was seen chasing BJP protesters away.
Howrah railway station bears a deserted look
The Howrah railway station, which is one of the busiest railway stations in West Bengal, wore a deserted look on Wednesday. Passengers were seen sitting outside the station waiting for commute as the usually teeming taxi stand remained empty.
Input by A Ghosh, Team101 Reporters
Clash of rallies in Kolkata
In an important political development, both ruling Trinamool Congress and Opposition BJP are set to take out rallies in the heart of Kolkata. The TMC has planned a massive rally, which will be led by party leader Madan Mitra. It is scheduled to reach Hazra in South Kolkata at around 11 am.
Around the same time BJP’S Roopa Ganguly is also expected to to start a march from the same spot. The police has been put on high alert as the political posturing may result in clashes as the air remains tensed in West Bengal.
BJP protesters vandalise government buses, torch tyres in Midnapore
State-owned buses were vandalised and burning tyres were dropped on roads to thwart the traffic. Several BJP workers were also reportedly arrested after they tried to stop rail traffic in the city.
West Bengal resident tweets ordeal to home minister
A Twitter user reported that two trains have been stuck at Nalpur in West Bengal as BJP workers blocked the railway tracks. He tweeted to Home Minister Rajnath Singh urging him to understand the plight of the stranded passengers, which include children.
Security beefed up in Howrah district
The Howrah district administration has beefed security in the city in view of the 12-hour bandh called by BJP in West Bengal today. The party is protesting against the death of two students in a clash with police in North Dinajpur’s Islampur area. Bandh supporters have vandalised several buses and bus drivers are wearing helmets for safety.
Train services hit massively; rail traffic on all stations in North 24 Parganas halted
The train services have taken a massive hit in several parts of West Bengal. Services came to a total standstill at all major stations in North 24 Parganas district meanwhile local train services in Kolkata were also hit. Sealdah(South) section was the most severely affected since early morning on Wednesday while On Howrah Barddhaman main line section,obstructions were made at Kon nagar since 6.00 am.
On the Krishnanagar-Shantipur section the bandh supporters obstructed railway track between Shantipur- Phulia as well as on the Sealdah Ranaghat section between Kankinara- jagaddal both since 6-00 hrs.
Input by A Ghosh, Team 101 reporters
Buses vandalised in Medinipur Howrah Maida, Cooch Behar
Bandh supporters reportedly torched a bus in Medinipur district. Meanwhile, incidents of vandalism were also reported from East Medinipur, Cooch Behar, and Howrah Maidan. The road and rail traffic has taken a hit even as the ruling Trinamool Congress had ordered that the public transport should ply as usual and action should be taken against any person found enforcing the bandh.
with inputs from Satwik Paul and A Ghosh of Team 101Reporters
Streets deserted in Purulia as BJP-called bandh takes effect
Streets in Purulia city were seen deserted as the 12-hour-long bandh called by BJP kicked-in. The usually teeming Hurar lalpur more in Purulia was also seen devoid of any traffic on early hours of Wednesday.
Train service in Sealdah South and Howrah main line disrupted
BJP cadres and ABVP workers have descended on the streets trying to stop usual traffic from running. The bandh supporters also blocked railway lines disrupting the Sealdah South and Howrah main lines of the local train.
BJP holds 12-hour bandh today in West Bengal
The West Bengal unit of Bharatiya janata Party is holding a 12-hour-long bandh today in the state against the killings of two students in alleged police firing.
The two students were killed when protesters clashed with the police on Thursday over recruitment of a Urdu teacher at Daribhita High School in North Dinajpur district, police had said. The protesting students had said they did not require a Urdu teacher and demanded that teachers be recruited for science and other subjects.