Violence in Assam's Silchar over Waqf (Amendment) Act

Tensions flared in Assam's Cachar district on Sunday as protesters clashed with the police at a rally held against the Waqf (Amendment) Act in Silchar’s Berenga area.

Protestors threw stones while the police used batons to ward off around 300 to 400 people who took to the streets without prior permission, blocking roads and shouting slogans against the BJP-led government.

Protesters waved black flags and demanded the immediate repeal of the recently enacted Waqf Amendment Act.

Also Read | ‘Waqf boards dens of malpractice, reforms long overdue': Bihar governor Arif Mohammad Khan

"Around 300-400 people were protesting by blocking the road. When we tried to clear the path, a few of them threw stones at us. We had to use mild lathi-charge to disperse the crowd," a senior police official told PTI.

The brief clash between protestors and law enforcement disrupted traffic and created panic in the area, but the situation was later brought under control.

The police confirmed that no arrests or detentions had been made as of yet, though a case has been registered, the news agency reported.

The unrest comes just a day after Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma claimed on Saturday that the state police had a "strong intelligence" report that there could be "some disturbances" during protests by the minority community against the Waqf (Amendment) Act.

Also Read | Murshidabad violence: Jamiat chief says Waqf law helps 'land occupiers’, calls for peaceful agitation

He said the police force worked extensively to prevent any violence, with the intelligence report suggesting problems on Friday.

The Waqf (Amendment) Act, which was recently passed in both houses of the Parliament, has drawn severe criticism from several minority groups as well as opposition parties.

The Waqf Act protests argue that the law disproportionately affects religious trusts and properties tied to the Muslim community.

Violence in Bengal over Waqf Amendment Act

Several areas of West Bengal, including Muslim-majority Murshidabad, including Suti, Dhulian, Jangipur and Shamsherganj, have witnessed violent protests against the Waqf (Amendment) Act.

Visuals in the media showed burnt shops, hotels and houses in these parts of Murshidabad.

The leader of the opposition in the state assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, claimed that 400 people had fled Dhulian following the violence.