The West Bengal Home Department on Monday warned of strict action against those who are posting and circulating fake information on social media in the context of the communal clash which erupted in Telinipara in West Bengal’s Hooghly district on Sunday.
Taking to twitter the State’s Home department said: “Last evening swift and strong action was taken in Telinipara against those who were trying to disturb peace. The situation was immediately brought under control. Telinipara is peaceful now”.
“Police will not allow any provocation and strict action will be taken against anyone who tries to create disturbance including those who are posting and circulating false information,” department wrote in its subsequent tweet.
Last evening swift and strong action was taken in Telinipara against those who were trying to disturb peace. The situation was immediately brought under control. Telinipara is peaceful now.(1/2)
— HOME DEPARTMENT – GOVT. OF WEST BENGAL (@HomeBengal) May 11, 2020
Earlier in the day it was reported that thirty-seven people have been detained after a communal clash between two groups broke out in Telinipara in Hooghly district of West Bengal on Sunday night. A huge police team had to be posted in the tense Telinipara area to ensure peace. There has been no further incident in the last 24 hours.
The West Bengal unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had tweeted yesterday claiming that flouting of COVID-19 guidelines was responsible for the incident. “Horrific visuals from Telinipara in Hooghly where people from a “certain” community turned violent last night. Criticising Mamata Banerjee for playing vote bank politics the BJP Bengal unit continued to write: “In WB, under Mamata Banerjee, ‘vote bank’ patronised by TMC has held the state to ransom, flouted Covid guidelines at will without any fear of law!”
Horrific visuals from Telinipara in Hooghly where people from a “certain” community turned violent last night. In WB, under Mamata Banerjee, ‘vote bank’ patronised by TMC has held the state to ransom, flouted Covid guidelines at will without any fear of law! #KothayAcheMamata pic.twitter.com/LC63vJqCXn
— BJP Bengal (@BJP4Bengal) May 11, 2020
Several houses were burnt during communal clash in Telinipara, Hooghly
Horrific images had emerged which showed houses, shops and vehicles gutted in fire and stone being pelted on the streets of Telinipara, Hoogly, West Bengal. According to reports, bombs were hurled and shops ransacked in the ensuing mayhem which started when some people from Wardibazar area tried to enter the Telinipara area on May 10, Sunday. There are claims that several people were attacked and their houses were burnt down by people from a “certain” community. The police have stated that the clashes started when members of one community called a group as ‘corona’.
Scenes from Telinipara,
— Dr. Anirban Ganguly (@anirbanganguly) May 11, 2020
Bhadreshwar,Hooghly where people from a “certain” community, adamant about not following #COVID__19 rules, turned violent.Last night:bricks pelted,shops & vehicles gutted.Hope “HomeMinister” & Home Secretary of #WestBengal are “actively” looking into this pic.twitter.com/gszzhfDioM
Wardibazar reportedly had some coronavirus cases and several people in quarantine. So when 10-odd people from there headed to Telinipara, apparently to use a public toilet, locals objected and a clash broke out.
The police had fired 26 rounds of tear gas and ten rounds of rubber bullets to bring the situation under control. A number police personnel have been deployed in the area following the clashes.
Chandannagar Police Commissioner Humayun Kabir told news agency PTI, “Some people were addressed as ‘corona’. And it all started from there. After a verbal spat, one group blocked another from entering a community bathroom in the Victoria Jute Mills area of Telinipara, which led to the fight.”
“Bombs were hurled and shops ransacked, following which a huge team of police was sent there. We continued raids throughout the night and detained 37 people. Our raids are still on, said the police commissioner.
BJP alleges communal clash was pre-planned
While BJP MP Locket Chatterjee, who was not allowed into Telinipara by the WB police, claimed that the attack was pre-planned, Dilip Ghosh, the Bengal BJP chief and MP, said: “Bombs and guns were used and the clash turned communal, an example of law and order breakdown in Bengal. A fight against corona turned into a communal fight.”
