West Bengal in the Grip of Unprecedented violence Following the Passage of Citizenship Amendment Act

Kolkata,December 16: Unprecedented violence has been reported from various parts of West Bengal over the past few days as angry protesters brought normal life to standstill in the affected regions.Protesters hurled stones at moving trains and critically injured a number of passengers along with a driver in the South Eastern Railway division of the state.Protesters also burnt and destroyed a number of railway stations forcing railway staff to run for their lives. 

In other instances of violence reported from various parts of West Bengal suggest that agitating mobs beat up policemen and vandalized police stations along with a number of police check posts.

Reports of agitating protesters asking passengers of buses to get down and setting the vehicle on fire has spread panic among travellers.

With protesters targeting long distance trains the railway authorities have cancelled a number of trains originating from Howrah and Sealdah railway stations, two of the busiest railway stations in the country.With numerous trains being cancelled passengers were left stranded at various stations with some of them narrating their ordeal of having to go without food and water.Some with infants in their arms were seen crying helplessly.

In most of the occasions where violence occurred the police were outnumbered by violent mobs and were chased and beaten by the agitators wearing dresses of a particular community.Though the state government has warned that stern action will be taken against the violators of the law, West Bengal continues to simmer with people living in fear of mob violence.