Kolkata (IANS): Fresh protests erupted in Beldanga in West Bengal’s Murshidabad district on Saturday after a migrant worker from the state was allegedly assaulted in neighbouring Jharkhand, triggering widespread disruption and heightened security deployment.
Hundreds of protestors blocked the Barua More intersection and National Highway 12, while the railway gate near Beldanga station was vandalised, leading to the suspension of train services between Krishnanagar and Lalgola. The agitation caused inconvenience to thousands of passengers.
Eastern Railway General Manager Milind K. Deuskar said additional forces of the Railway Protection Force (RPF) and Railway Protection Special Force (RPSF) are being rushed from Kolkata to bring the situation under control. State police have also deployed a large contingent in the area amid reports of renewed tension.
The unrest coincided with Prime Minister Narendra Modi launching the Vande Bharat Sleeper train from neighbouring Malda district earlier in the day.
Beldanga had already witnessed violent protests on Friday over the alleged killing of a migrant worker from West Bengal in Jharkhand. Demonstrators had blocked NH-12 and railway tracks, vandalised traffic kiosks, and damaged police vehicles. At least 12 people were injured during stone-pelting incidents, officials said.
The deceased migrant worker was identified as Alauddin Sheikh (36), a resident of Sujarpur-Kamarpur village panchayat under Beldanga. His family members alleged that they were informed of his death on Thursday morning by Jharkhand authorities.
While the Jharkhand Police reportedly told the family that Sheikh’s body was found hanging in his rented room, relatives alleged that the incident was being portrayed as suicide and claimed he was lynched before being hanged.
Meanwhile, BJP Information Technology Cell chief and the party’s central observer for West Bengal Amit Malviya blamed the ruling Trinamool Congress for the unrest, alleging a collapse of law and order in the state.
Authorities said security has been tightened in and around Beldanga, and efforts are underway to restore normalcy and resume train services at the earliest.
