The central forces will remain in West Bengal’s Murshidabad district which has witnessed violent protests for the past one week over the Waqf Amendment Act, the Calcutta High Court ordered on Thursday.
A division bench comprising Justices Soumen Sen and Raja Basu Chowdhury also instructed that the political leaders should not make provocative speeches that could escalate tension.
The court directed the state government to set up a committee to facilitate rehabilitation for those affected by the violence. This committee will include members from the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), West Bengal Human Rights Commission, and the State Legal Services Authority.
The next hearing has been scheduled for Monday.
The high court on Thursday considered multiple petitions over the violence, including the one filed by the Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari.
Adhikari claimed that bomb blasts took place during communal riots in the Muslim-majority district and prayed that the National Investigation Agency (NIA) be handed over the probe into the violence.
The high court had on Saturday ordered the deployment of Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) in the district for the restoration of peace. Around 17 companies of central forces currently remain deployed in the trouble-torn pockets of Suti and Samserganj-Dhulian in the district.
‘Situation under control’
Meanwhile, the state government submitted in the court that the law and order situation in the district is currently under control.
The also submitted that some of the affected families have already returned to their homes.
Appearing for the state, senior advocate Kalyan Banerjee submitted before the bench that more than 270 people have been arrested till midnight on Wednesday in connection with the violence.
