Kolkata, Jan 20 Expressing concern about repeated incidents of violence and unrest in West Bengal's Murshidabad district, the Calcutta High Court on Tuesday directed the police and administration to ensure peace is maintained there.
A division bench presided by Chief Justice Sujoy Paul said that the state government may requisition central force if required.
The court directed the superintendent of police and district magistrate of Murshidabad to take all measures to ensure that there is no further incident of violence or unrest there.
Two PILs were moved before the court seeking that central forces be deployed at Beldanga in Murshidabad district over last week's violence there in connection with alleged attacks on migrant workers in neighbouring states.
On January 16, protesters blocked National Highway 12 for around six hours over the alleged death of a Beldanga resident migrant worker in Jharkhand.
On January 17 morning also, road and rail blockades took place over the alleged heckling of a Murshidabad-resident migrant worker in Bihar.
The situation was brought under control on Saturday afternoon with police carrying out route marches and area domination with additional deployment of personnel.
The division bench, also comprising Justice Partha Sarathi Sen, said that the central government will peruse reports by the state government to decide on a probe by the National Investigation Agency (NIA).
The court said that the life and livelihood of the local residents have to be ensured.
The division bench directed the Centre and the state government to file affidavits stating their position on the prayers made by the petitioners.
One of the petitioners questioned why the situation at Beldanga could not be controlled initially with road blocks on National Highway 12, the arterial thoroughfare connecting south and north Bengal, for hours and violence erupting on Friday and Saturday last.
The petitioner also prayed that a probe by the NIA be ordered by the court into the incidents of violence at Beldanga.
The high court had in April, 2025 ordered deployment of central forces in Murshidabad district following communal violence, that claimed at least two lives, over protests against the Waqf Amendment Act.
