Mobocracy Unleashed In Bengal: NH-12 Choked, Train Tracks Blocked As Mobs Fuel Anarchy In Murshidad's Beldanga

Murshidabad: West Bengal's Beldanga heated up for the second consecutive day as protests broke out over the killing of a migrant worker in Jharkhand. The National Highway 12, which passes through Beldanga in Murshidabad, a key lifeline that connects north and south Bengal, as well as the north-eastern part of the country, was blocked by the mob on Saturday. 

Protesters even blocked railway tracks at Beldanga, another crucial rail link, on the day when Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off the nation's first Vande Bharat Sleeper Train, from Guwahati and Howrah. 

Hundreds of locals gathered on the highway at Barua More in Beldanga, bringing traffic on NH-12 to a standstill and triggering long queues of stranded vehicles, while protesters also damaged a railway gate and attempted to disrupt train services. The police, who were initially not able to control the situation, later resorted to baton-charge the agitators at a few places to disperse the crowd, reports indicated.

"In Bengal, democracy is being taken over by mobocracy. RPF today had intel about stone-pelting. Why was there no action? This violence is engineered by TMC Govt,” West Bengal BJP Secretary Priyanka Tibrewal said speaking to Republic on the phone, blaming the ruling TMC government for reportedly not being able to control the mob.

The Opposition BJP has even claimed that the protests in Beldanga in Murshidabad seems to be a bigger conspiracy to try to choke the 'chicken's neck' area in Siliguri. The timings of the protest is also significant as the Trinamool Congress (TMC)-led West Bengal government are in stiff opposition to the SIR exercise in the state, which is aimed at weeding out illegal Bangladeshi migrants. 

The second day of protests also took place on the day when Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a string of railway projects in the state. The Opposition BJP has used this opportunity to point out the Prime Minister's push for development in the state, as opposed to the TMC government's alleged failure to control the situation.

What Caused The Violence

The unrest was sparked by the death of a 37-year-old hawker, whose body was found at his residence in Jharkhand. His family claimed that he was targeted and beaten to death only for being a Bengali-speaking migrant worker. Villagers in Beldanga, reportedly placed his body on the crucial highway, leading to an hours-long blockade.

The protests on Friday, turned violent as several journalists were attacked while covering the protests. "I am not supporting such attacks on journalists. But they should avoid going inside the mob. It is out of my hands," West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had said.

Banerjee even pointed out that Friday holds special significance for the minority community and accused the BJP of trying to incite unrest in the region.

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