The Citizenship Amendment Act, 2019 provides for the grant of Indian citizenship to minorities from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan, who have come to India after facing religious persecution there.
Kolkata: Anti-CAA protests in West Bengal intensified on Friday, with protesters blockading tracks at a railway station in the state’s Howrah district. In a separate incident, anti-Citizenship Amendment Act protesters, in thousands, set the Beldanga railway station complex in Murshidabad district ablaze. Further, the protesters beat up RPF personnel deputed.
Blockade in Howrah
Officials said the people, protesting against the Act, put up a blockade on tracks at the Uluberia railway station in Howrah. They also indulged in arson and vandalised the complex as well as some trains. A train driver was injured in the incident.
The protesters arrived at the railway station at around 3.22 pm and blocked train movement on both the up and down lines. South Eastern Railway spokesperson Sanjoy Ghosh said the driver of the 12841 Howrah-Chennai Coromandel Express sustained injuries as protesters hurled stones at the train.
Officials said the protesters also damaged the platforms at the station and vandalised an empty rake of the Humsafar Express.
“No passenger was injured in the incident, as per initial reports,” Ghosh said. He added the Railways have contacted the state government for assistance in dealing with the situation.
The blockade affected the Howrah-Kharagpur section of the South Eastern Railway, with several trains including some suburban locals and the 22897 Howrah Digha Kandari Express getting stuck.
Muslim protesters also blocked the National Highway 6 in the area.
Railway station set on fire in Murshidabad
Anti-citizenship law protests in West Bengal
Meanwhile, in Murshidabad, protesters set the Beldanga railway station complex on fire.
“The protestors all of a sudden entered the railway station complex and set the platform, two-three buildings and railway offices on fire. When RPF personnel tried to stop them, they were brutally beaten up,” a senior RPF official was quoted as saying. “Train services have come to a halt here,” he added.
Murshidabad district has a majority of the Muslim population and borders Bangladesh. Several minority organisations had earlier given a call for protests against the amended Citizenship Act.
Train services affected in Sealdah
There were also reports of protesters blockading train services in Sealdah division of the Eastern Railway. As a result, thousands of passengers were stranded.
The protesters blocked tracks at Beldanga and Rejinagar stations, in the Krishnanagar-Lalgola section. Train services were, however, reported to be operational between Sealdah and Krishnanagar.
Train movement on the Baruipur-Diamond Harbour section was also impacted as rail tracks were blocked at Basuldanga.
The Citizenship Amendment Act, 2019 provides for the grant of Indian citizenship to minorities from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan, who have come to India after facing religious persecution there.