Mamata Banerjee says booth-wise peacekeeping forces will be formed to prevent communal clashes in WB

Darjeeling: The situation in West Bengal's communal strife-torn Baduria in North 24 Parganas district continued to remain tense on Wednesday.

With the clashes threatening to disrupt inter-faith harmony, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said her government has decided to form peace-keeping forces across the state involving local people and assisted by state administration and the police.

A police officer said no untoward incident was reported till this afternoon from Baduria though the situation is tense, adding forces have already been deployed across the entire area and they have cleared roads blocks put up by local residents and conducted route marches.

Announcements are being made via public address system asking people to maintain law and order, he said.

Schools, shops, markets and business establishments remained shut in and around Baduria, including Keosha market, Banshtala, Ramchandrapur and Tentulia, where prohibitory orders are in force.

Four companies of BSF personnel (about 400 personnel) have been rushed to Baduria and adjoining areas of Basirhat, Swarupnagar and Deganga to assist the local administration.

Rail blockades at three places on the Barasat-Bongaon and Barasat-Basirhat sections in the morning inconvenienced daily commuters.

Violence had erupted between two communities at Baduria in Basirhat sub-division of the district since Monday night over a Facebook post, following which a young man was arrested.

Banerjee said the peace-keeping forces, called 'Shanti Bahini', will be stationed in 60,000-odd booths across the state to maintain communal harmony.

"Booth-wise peacekeeping forces will be formed in West Bengal to prevent communal clashes. State administration and police will assist peacekeeping forces; situation at Baduria in North 24 Parganas now normal," Mamata said.