Violence reportedly erupts in Murshidabad's Chandpur as reference to suspended TCM leader Sheikh Shahjahan as 'criminal' ignites communal tensions.
Amidst the ongoing Lok Sabha Elections 2024, West Bengal's Murshidabad has hit headlines with reports of communal clash in the area surfacing on Saturday. A purported incident at Chaitanyapur High School in Mandir Bazar area of Chandpur has ignited communal tensions, leading to violence and unrest in the community. According to reports, a Hindu school teacher's reference to suspended TCM leader Sheikh Shahjahan as 'criminal' during a lesson has reportedly sparked communal tensions, resulting in clashes and unrest.
Several videos that have gone viral on X, formerly Twitter, showcase disturbing scenes of people attacking each other, panic-stricken students, and a general atmosphere of chaos and fear in the wake of the clashes.
"This is how religious fanaticism among Muslims look like. A mere reference to a notorious criminal Sheikh Shahjahan as an example by a Hindu school teacher of Chaitanyapur High School during classes yesterday (when instantly a Muslim girl student raise serious objections) resulted in a major clash between the Hindus and Muslims of Mandir Bazar area, PS Chandpur, when the Teacher came to the school today," wrote BJP's Devdutta Maji on X along with the viral videos.
"The Hindu parents supported the Teacher which made the Muslim mob furious. This made the situation volatile and the mob went on a rampage. So this again proves that even a dreaded criminal like Shahjahan is revered by the fanatic Muslim community. In the video we can see the Hindu students crying. Our boys are doing whatever needed and possible," he added in his post.
This is how religious fanaticism among Muslims look like. A mere reference to a notorious criminal Sheikh Shahjahan as an example by a Hindu school teacher of Chaitanyapur High School during classes yesterday (when instantly a Muslim girl student raise serious objections)… pic.twitter.com/e4alww0vMg
— Devdutta Maji (Modi Ji Ka Pariwar). (@MajiDevDutta)West Bengal-
A Hindu school teacher at Chaitanyapur High School referenced Criminal Sheikh Shahjahan as an example, leading to communal clashes in Mandir Bazar area, PS Chandpur.
Hindu students can be seen crying as radicals attacked & clashes reported.pic.twitter.com/O4417xczwb
A hindu school teacher took reference of a serial rep!st ShahJahan for a example in her class in Chaitanyapur high school chandpur but m girl students started abuse her
But our Hindus retaliated
From this it can be understood that they have their own religion first.… pic.twitter.com/hqBiM8hajo
Sheikh Shahjahan was apprehended by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on March 30, following an incident where agency officials were assaulted during a search of his premises in Sandeshkhali, North 24 Parganas, West Bengal, on January 5. This search was part of a money laundering investigation linked to an alleged scam in the distribution of PDS ration in the state.
The recent money laundering probe targeting Sheikh and his suspected accomplices originates from several First Information Reports (FIRs) filed by the West Bengal Police. These FIRs accuse them of various offenses, including issuing threats, murder, attempted murder, extortion, and land grabbing.
Earlier this week, the ED arrested three associates of suspended TMC leader as part of a probe into the money laundering case. Shib Prasad Hazra, Sekh Alomgir and Didar Boksh Molla were taken into custody on April 12.
Sheikh has been "running fisheries on illegally grabbed lands from tribals/farmers and has accrued proceeds of crime by sale of fish/shrimp from the grabbed lands in the name of his firm SK Sabina Fish Supplier and also from running various other businesses (including brick kilns)", the ED claimed.
The federal agency claimed that proceeds from these criminal activities were laundered through businesses such as Magnum Export, among others.
According to the agency, Sheikh obtained a significant number of movable and immovable assets through these illicit funds.
In the previous month, the Enforcement Directorate seized Sheikh's assets valued at Rs 12.78 crore.