West Bengal limps back to normalcy, internet restored in some areas

No major incidents of violence were reported from the districts on Wednesday as West Bengal limped back to normalcy, with internet services restored in some areas, officials said.

Internet services were restored partially in trouble-torn areas of Murshidabad, Malda and Uttar Dinajpur. Services were also back in Basirhat and Barasat in North 24 Parganas district and Canning in South 24 Parganas.

However, internet blackout continued in Howrah. The services were blocked on Sunday, following violent protests over the citizenship law. Two BJP delegations on way to the violence-hit areas of Malda and Murshidabad districts were stopped by the police, and MPs Nishith Pramanik and Khagen Murmu arrested.

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The delegations, one of which was led by BJP national general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya and MP Soumitra Khan, also faced protests with "go back" slogans raised.

"We were not allowed to visit the areas. The police is trying to hide something. Infiltrators blocked roads and tried to attack our convoy. The police personnel were just mute spectators," Vijayvargiya, who was stopped at Nabagram and Mourgram, said.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who took to the streets for the third consecutive day leading a mega rally from Howrah Maidan to Esplanade in Kolkata, went hammer and tongs over the citizenship law.

She attacked Union Home Minister Amit Shah and said his job is not to set the country on fire but to put it out. In Uttar Dinajpur district, five persons were injured when crude bombs were hurled at a protest march taken out against the citizenship law, police said, adding that they are investigating the matter.

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Incidents of road and rail blockades, which plagued the state's transport system over the past few days, were not reported with train services partially resuming between Kolkata and North Bengal.

Several demonstrations and sit-ins were, however, held across the state against the citizenship law. The sit-in by students of Jadavpur University and Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute in protest against police action inside the Jamia Millia Islamia campus in Delhi continued for the third day.

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The state has been witness to violent protests against the citizenship law since December 13. Several railway stations were ransacked and vehicles and trains vandalised over the past few days. Police said they have arrested 354 people in connection with the incidents of vandalism and arson.