West Bengal: Muslim mob attacks Durga Puja in Howrah, vandalises idol, pelts stones at Hindu devotees

In visuals that have surfaced on social media, it could be seen that the idol of Goddess Durga was broken. Several shops and establishments were set on fire.

On Sunday (13th October), Muslim mobs went on a rampage in Shyampur in the Howrah district of Uttar Pradesh. They attacked a Durga Puja pandal, vandalised the idol of the Hindu deity and set shops ablaze.

The Shyampur Bazaar Babasyayi Samiti organised an art competition wherein participants were asked to draw ’eminent personalities of different religions’ on the occasion of Durga Puja.

According to Hindu activist Devdutta Maji, the organisers displayed pictures of Prophets of all religions to educate Hindu children. During the course of the ‘appeasement’, they also put up pictures of Prophet Muhammad.

Soon after, Muslim mobs stormed the streets of Shyampur to avenge the ‘insult’ to Prophet Muhammad. “Frightened, the club officials removed the picture, but even that didn’t save them,” Devdutt Majhi informed.

“The idols were vandalized, the pandal was destroyed, several Hindus were beaten and left bloodied, fires were set on the streets—all by the devout worshippers (Muslim mob), because their emotions had been hurt!” he added.

In visuals that have surfaced on social media, it could be seen that the idol of Goddess Durga was broken. Several shops and establishments were set on fire. The violent Muslim mob also attacked the police and Hindu devotees with stones

Later, a large contingent of police and the Rapid Action Force (RAF) was deployed in the area to restore normalcy. A total of 67 extremists were arrested by the police and produced before a court.

Howrah Rural Police SP Swati Bhangalia informed the media, “Police and security personnel are keeping a close vigil in the area. Appropriate steps will be taken according to the progress of the situation.”

BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari tweeted, “Today a group of miscreants while returning from the Shyampur Police Station where they went to submit a deputation, went berserk and started vandalising the Durga Puja Pandals. They set on fire the idols at the Shyampur Bazar Byabsayi Samiti Puja Pandal and vandalised other Pandals as well. Some of them even pelted stones at the immersion ghat.”

“The situation is very tense at the area under the Shyampur Police Station in the Howrah Rural Police District. I would like to urge the DG @WBPolice to send adequate forces immediately at the spot to quell the vandalism and take action against the unruly vandals,” he added.

The internet service has been suspended in Shyampur until further notice.

Earlier on 11th October, a frenzied Muslim mob stormed the Puja Pandal of New Bengal Sporting Club at the Garden Reach area of Kolkata and threatened to vandalise the idol if celebrations weren’t stopped.