Bengal: Protesters block roads, clash with police over remarks by BJP leaders against Prophet Mohammad

Hundreds of protesters on Friday blocked roads in different parts of Howrah district of West Bengal over controversial remarks made by two now-suspended BJP leaders against Prophet Mohammad, police said.

Kolkata: Hundreds of protesters on Friday blocked roads in different parts of Howrah district of West Bengal over controversial remarks made by two now-suspended BJP leaders against Prophet Mohammad, police said. The agitators clashed with police personnel at Dhulagarh, Panchla and Uluberia when they tried to lift the blockade on National Highway-6, a police officer said. The two saffron party leaders should be immediately arrested for their remarks that have hurt religious sentiments, one of the protesters said.

Police had to baton-charge to disperse the crowd at Dhulagarh and Panchla, where the demonstrators pelted stones in retaliation, causing damage to nearby cars, the officer said. The protesters also blocked railway tracks between Fuleswar and Chengail stations in the Howrah-Kharagpur section from 1.22 pm, a South Eastern Railway official said. Bengal Imams Association president Md Yahia said it had called for protests inside mosques across the state, demanding the arrest of the two BJP leaders, but said the administration is free to take action against people who are blocking roads and inconveniencing the public. (PTI)