Prophet row: Fresh tension in Bengal's Nadia district

KOLKATA: After Sunday, fresh tension broke out again in West Bengal’s Nadia district on Monday evening over the controversial comments made by the BJP’s Nupur Sharma and Naveen Kumar Jindal on the Prophet.

The tension ensued after a group of people agitating over the controversial comments assembled and tried to block the roads adjacent to the Bethuadahari railway station as well the nearby National Highway.

However, the police this time acted tough. As initial attempts to pursue the agitators to refrain from the agitation failed, the police carried out a baton charge and fired tear gas shells to disperse the mob.

A number of the agitators were arrested. A police team led by senior district police officials started a route march in the entire Bethuadahari area, cautioning people of stern action in case further attempts to disrupt normalcy are made.

Meanwhile, Additional Director General, Law and Order, Javed Shamim said that over 200 persons have been arrested during the last three days from different parts of the state for trying to disrupt normal life and cause violence.

“A total of 42 FIRs have been filed, out of which 26 are from Howrah district alone,” said Shamim.

He also said that route marches, area domination and constant patrolling are going on in the tension-prone areas of Howrah, Murshidabad and Nadia districts.

“However, the situation is more or less under control now. Fortunately, there had not been a single incidence of death,” he said.

However, the Leader of Opposition in Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari ridiculed the police official as allegedly reading out a political speech on behalf of the ruling party.