Violence during Ram Navami procession in West Bengal's Howrah, vehicles torched

The development comes even as West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee appealed to the people of the state to celebrate Ram Navami in a peaceful manner and refrain from any kind of violence while taking out processions.

Kolkata:Tension prevailed in West Bengal's Howrah after vehicles were torched as a ruckus erupted during a Ram Navami procession. Several policemen were deployed in the area to maintain law and order even as a police team conducted a flag march following the incident. The development comes even as West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee appealed to the people of the state to celebrate Ram Navami in a peaceful manner and refrain from any kind of violence while taking out processions.

"I want to request those who are taking out Ram Navami procession, please do but do it peacefully. Kindly avoid Muslim areas as Ramzan is going on. Celebrate peacefully but don't try to create violence. Don't get provoked. Some BJP leaders are saying they will move with swords and knives during the procession. I say criminal offence is an offence," ANI quoted CM Mamata Banerjee as saying.

Violence during Ram Navami celebrations is not uncommon in West Bengal. In 2022, two incidents of violence during Ram Navami celebration in Bengal's Howrah and Bankura led to injuries to 20 people, including six police personnel. Over 30 people were arrested following the incidents. Earlier in the day, leaders of the BJP and RSS took out Ram Navami processions in different parts of the state.

The RSS organised 1,000 large and small processions across the state on the occasion, spokesperson Sourish Mukhopadhyay told PTI. Thousands of people, chanting 'Jai Shri Ram', took part in those processions in Howrah, Kharagpur, Barrackpore, Bhadreswar, Siliguri and Asansol.

While BJP national vice-president Dilip Ghosh performed puja at the 300-year-old Ram Mandir in Ramrajatala, Bengal BJP president Sukanta Majumdar led Ram Navami processions in Itahar in Uttar Dinajpur and Balurghat in Dakshin Dinajpur district.

"Ramrajatala is named after Lord Ram but the TMC and Left want to teach us that Ram is not the culture of Bengal. Ram is an outsider according to them," Dilip Ghosh said. Leader of opposition Suvendu Adhikari participated in a Ram Navami procession in his constituency Nandigram in Purba Medinipur, and offered puja at the Janakinath temple. (With Agency inputs)