Police crackdown on namaz protesters, Bengal CM sends big Park Circus message

The BJP-led West Bengal government launched a sweeping crackdown in Kolkata's Muslim-dominated Park Circus area after protests over restrictions on roadside namaz and anti-encroachment drives turned violent on Sunday. At least 10 security forces personnel were injured in the clashes and 40 people have been arrested over the violence. Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Monday reached Park Circus and sent out a strong message that hooliganism wouldn't be tolerated.

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Stones and bricks were pelted on personnel of police and central forces. Reports of vandalism surfaced too.

After meeting the injured personnel on Monday, CM Suvendu Adhikari voiced the dispensation's "zero-tolerance policy against vandalism carried out under the guise of religious slogans". He said 40 people had been arrested.

Protesters on Sunday had blocked roads near the Park Circus Seven Point Crossing, one of Kolkata's busiest junctions, which prompted a heavy police deployment and baton charges to disperse crowds.

CM Adhikari, who also handles the Home Department (which has law and order, and police), also said that personnel of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) would remain deployed in West Bengal. Referring to stone-pelting incidents, Adhikari warned the "miscreants", saying, "It has ended in Kashmir, and it must end in Bengal too".

VIDEO | Kolkata, West Bengal: CM Suvendu Adhikari (@SuvenduWB), after holding a meeting with top police officials at Park Circus South East Division, said, "An unfortunate incident took place yesterday. Anyone can stage an agitation or put forward their demands, but it should be pic.twitter.com/8tEHYcsopL— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) May 18, 2026

The police crackdown continued into Monday with heightened surveillance, barricading and patrols across sensitive pockets of central Kolkata.

The government action came days after the West Bengal government announced restrictions on namaz gatherings at public places, issued guidelines on azan and Eid qurbani (sacrifice), and launched an anti-encroachment operation in Kolkata.

POLICE CRACKDOWN AFTER VIOLENCE IN KOLKATA'S PARK CIRCUS

According to reports, violence erupted after demonstrators gathered near Park Circus to protest against the restrictions on roadside namaz and the alleged targeting of Muslim-majority localities during anti-encroachment drives.

Protesters reportedly blocked roads and raised slogans before clashes broke out with security personnel.

The Kolkata Police said stones were hurled at personnel and official vehicles during the confrontation, which CM Suvendu Adhikari said, was a "pre-planned one".

Videos from the area showed damaged police vehicles (including a CRPF bus) and heavy police deployment around the Park Circus Seven Point Crossing. Kolkata Police subsequently carried out baton charges and detained several people to disperse the crowd and reopen traffic movement in the area.

Authorities later imposed tighter security arrangements in and around Park Circus, Tiljala and adjoining pockets considered sensitive.

Senior police officers remained stationed in the locality overnight to monitor the situation, according to reports.

ADHIKARI WANTS CAPF DEPLOYMENT IN BENGAL

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Bengal CM Suvendu Adhikari visited Park Circus on Monday after the clashes and criticised the Mamata Banerjee government over her alleged patronage to the "miscreants". Attacking former CM Mamata, Suvendu said, "Police personnel get injured and the Chief Minister would sit in an air-conditioned room and watch. This won't happen now."

"They [protesters] may seek answers, and it is the responsibility of the police station concerned to satisfy them and provide appropriate responses. There is no objection to that. However, crowds gathering, raising religious slogans, and pelting stones, have stopped even in Srinagar. I think such things must stop in West Bengal as well," Adhikari said on Monday.

#WATCH | Kolkata: On yesterday's incident of stone pelting in Park Circus area, West Bengal CM Suvendu Adhikari says, "Such incidents no longer occur in Kashmir. In Bengal, people had become accustomed to a certain laxity—they felt that the government would not take any action pic.twitter.com/j0cvU5LLhO— ANI (@ANI) May 18, 2026

He said that he was in talks with the Centre on the continued deployment of the CAPFs in Bengal. Thousands of paramilitary forces were deployed in the state for the Assembly polls on April 23 and April 29.

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"I would like to request the Union Home Minister to allow the 40 companies of paramilitary forces currently deployed here to remain in the state until alternative arrangements can be made; otherwise, we will face a severe manpower shortage," Adhikari said.

While BJP leaders accused the Trinamool Congress of orchestrating the Park Circus clashes, the Mamata Banerjee-led party rejected the allegations and continued to focus on the "human cost" of actions of the BJP government. Mamata Banerjee said that Bengal, "the land of Tagore and Netaji", does not believe in "bulldozer politics", referring to the government's anti-encroachment drives in Kolkata.

As of Monday, heavy police and CRPF deployment continued flag marches and intensified patrolling in Kolkata's Park Circus area, according to reports. By reaching Park Circus, the epicentre of the clases, Suvendu Adhikari has tried to send across a tough message.

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(With inputs from PTI, ANI)