West Bengal violence over FB post: CM Mamata suspends internet services, and schools shut

The government banned internet services in West Bengal’s Basirhat region as shops and schools remained shut and paramilitary forces patrolled the streets on Wednesday where communal clashes had erupted over an “objectionable” Facebook post.

Local train services were affected in the Sealdah Bangaon section as people squatted on the tracks at Duttapukur and Ashokenagar stations and shouted slogans. A pair of trains plied from Basirhat station in the morning, hours after which services were disrupted due to demonstration there, sources said.

Residents said the Basirhat subdivision which includes violence-hit Baduria and Swarupnagar was almost cut off from the rest of the district. The region is less than 20 kilometres from the Bangladesh border.Violence had erupted between two communities at Baduria on Monday night over an alleged blasphemous Facebook post, following which a student was arrested. Muslim mobs allegedly set shops and houses on fire and burnt police vehicles to protest against the post.