In a major law and order incident, violent clashes broke out in Maheshtala, West Bengal, on the night of June 11-12, 2025, leading to the arrest of 40 individuals and injuries to several police personnel. The violence began on Wednesday afternoon in Ward Number 7 of Maheshtala following a dispute over the setting up of a shop, which escalated into a communal confrontation.
According to officials, the situation turned volatile when allegations surfaced regarding an attack on a place of worship. What began as a local dispute soon spiraled out of control as two groups clashed and mobs began pelting stones at police personnel who arrived to control the unrest.
Additional Director General (Law and Order), Jawed Shamim, confirmed that 28 individuals were arrested by the West Bengal Police, and four officers from the force sustained injuries. Kolkata Police, which also has jurisdiction in the area, arrested 12 more individuals, with about a dozen of their personnel—including a Deputy Commissioner—reportedly injured in the incident.
Seven FIRs have been registered so far, with four filed at Nadial Police Station under Kolkata Police. The area, which falls under overlapping jurisdiction of Kolkata and West Bengal Police, was heavily patrolled on Thursday morning as prohibitory orders were imposed to prevent further escalation.
Shops and commercial establishments remained shut, and several motorbikes and other vehicles that had been vandalised during the violence were removed by police teams. Police made public announcements enforcing the prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the new Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNSS), urging residents not to assemble in crowds.
Despite the Rabindra Nagar Police Station being just 100 metres from the epicenter of the violence, locals criticized the police response, claiming the deployment was inadequate to handle the large mob.
Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari staged protests at the state police headquarters, Bhabani Bhawan, and sought permission to visit Maheshtala along with an MLA to meet victims and express solidarity. In a post on social media platform X, Adhikari appealed to the SP of Diamond Harbour Police District and the DGP of West Bengal Police not to obstruct the visit.
Meanwhile, BJP MLAs have warned of stalling proceedings in the West Bengal Assembly over the incident. In response, senior TMC leader and State Minister Firhad Hakim assured the public that strict action would be taken against those responsible for attacking police personnel.
This incident follows similar communal tensions in the state just weeks ago, when violence in Samserganj and Dhulian in Murshidabad district in April claimed three lives and left hundreds homeless.
