Overview

• Communal clashes in Murshidabad, triggered by protests against the Waqf Amendment Act, left three dead, hundreds displaced, and homes and vehicles torched.
• Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee accused 'outsiders' of orchestrating the violence and announced plans to visit the affected areas in the first week of May.
• Banerjee pledged ₹10 lakh compensation to families of the deceased, reconstruction of damaged homes under the Banglar Bari scheme, and support for children's education.
• Over 275 arrests have been made following a Calcutta High Court directive to deploy central forces, with relief camps set up in Malda and Jharkhand for displaced families.
• The unrest has intensified political polarization in West Bengal ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections, with the BJP alleging forced Hindu exodus and religious persecution under TMC rule.