This story is from January 30, 2020

Clash over CAA bandh kills two in Murshidabad

Clash over CAA bandh kills two in Murshidabad
Behrampore: A clash between two groups — both opposing the Citizenship (Amendment) Act but differing over whether to enforce a protest bandh — claimed two lives in Murshidabad’s Jalangi on Wednesday.
One of the dead was the 62-year-old imam of a local mosque, Anarul Islam, who was hit by a bullet while returning home after namaz. The other victim was 17-year-old migrant labourer Sheikh Salauddin, who returned home barely 10 days ago.
Both were rushed to Murshidabad Medical College and Hospital but declared dead on arrival.
The clash, police said, broke out between bandh enforcers and opponents at Jalangi’s Sahebnagar. Trinamool leaders said they opposed the bandh as it was Saraswati Puja. “We, too, are against the new citizenship law but we do not want people to be inconvenienced,” Murshidabad district Trinamool president Abu Taher Khan said, explaining why the local Trinamool unit opposed the bandh.
The bandh call, officials said, was given by the Nabajagaran Mancha (comprising supporters of a host of political parties). Nabajagaran Mancha executive committee member Emdadul Mandal said it was a “pre-announced bandh” and the violence was “instigated to foil it”.
Trinamool Jalangi North president Tahiruddin Mandal, however, said the violence was the “work of bandh supporters”.
Wednesday’s clash started after bandh opponents reached the Sahebnagar market after getting information that bandh supporters were forcing a shutdown. The rival groups fired and hurled bombs at each other, witnesses said. Both victims were said to have succumbed to bullet wounds. Bandh supporters Mijanur Rahaman and Alauddin Biswas and Trinamool worker Mantu Sheikh were admitted to MMCH with bullet injuries.

The Sahebnagar neighbourhood, where the clash occurred, remained tense for some time. Vehicles did not ply along the Sagarpara-Sheikhpara State Highway and Dhanirampur-Bhaduriapara Road after the clash, prompting police to patrol the area. “We are investigating who all were behind the clash. We have detained five persons. A police picket is in the area to prevent further trouble,” deputy inspector-general Mukesh Kumar said.
Anarul’s son, Sahabul, said his dad was an imam and avoided politics. “He went to conduct namaz and was returning home after locking the mosque gates. What was his fault?” he asked.
Salauddin’s dad said his son was not into politics but had decided to join the bandh call as he felt it was a “non-political platform” to oppose the National Register of Citizens.
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