Anti-CAA protesters obstruct key highways in West Bengal, start 'picnic' after blockade

Anti-CAA protester turned violent on streets of West Bengal for third day straight as y cut down trees and burnt tyres to block main national and state highways on Sunday. At one such place in 24 Parganas rth district, protesters even started a ''picnic'' on National Highway 34, after blocking road. Similar protests also broke out in Murshidabad and Birbhum districts.

At Kamdevpur, protesters first obstructed highway and n started cutting and began to mince vegetables and cook on road to start a picnic. Kalyani Expressway was blocked at Ruia Bakultala crossing under Kahardah police station, while demonstrators set ablaze tyres to block Berachapa-Pritima crossing under Deganga police station.

Protesters in Birbhum burnt tyres and blocked Murarai-Raghunathganj state Highway at Hiyatnagar, barring road at Mitrapur. y raised posters which read " NRC, CAA", and "Modi hatao, Desh bachao, BJP hatao, Desh Bachao" and set up road barriers on Jangipur-Lalgola state highway at Kantakhali under Raghunathganj police station.

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Public Property jeopardised 

West Bengal has witnessed increasing violence against Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) since Friday and expanded to more places on Saturday. Angry mobs in various districts lit up buses, trains and railway stations, vandalised public property and obstructed roads and railway tracks, bringing state to a halt. 

protests have put railway services in danger. EMU local train services on Howrah-Kharagpur section of South Eastern Railway resumed on Saturday evening after remaining stranded for 10 hours. Eastern Railway has cancelled nine express and four long-distance passenger trains which were scheduled to exercise on Sunday. South Eastern Railway also cancelled one express along with some passenger trains for day. Some long-distance passenger trains also faced same action.

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Mamata Banerjee warned angry protesters 

Chief Minister had criticised vandalism on Saturday and spoke tough against anyone who resorts to violence. "Once again I appeal to all t to resort to violence and disturb public order, tranquillity, and peace. It must be kept in mind that police stations, railway stations, airports, post offices, government offices, public transport, are public property. Vandalising public as well as private property in any form will t be tolerated and will strictly be dealt according to law" said Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee while reiterating her stand on CAB and NRC.

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(With inputs from ANI)