New Delhi

In view of communal violence reported in West Bengal's Murshidabad district, Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan on Saturday spoke with the Chief Secretary and the Director General of Police of the state, assuring all possible help.

Through the video conference with the Chief Secretary and the DGP of West Bengal, the Home Secretary advised the state administration to keep a close watch on other sensitive districts also and to put in place adequate steps to ensure normalcy at the earliest.

The Home Secretary stated that apart from nearly 300 Border Security Force (BSF) personnel locally available in Murshidabad, an additional five Companies have been deployed at the request of the state government.

He mentioned that the "Centre is also closely monitoring the situation and assured the state all possible assistance including deployment of additional manpower, if necessary."

West Bengal DGP briefed that the situation was tense but under control and was being monitored closely. The DGP further stated that he is taking the assistance of BSF posted locally, and that more than 150 persons have been arrested.

Meanwhile, a special bench of the Calcutta High Court on Saturday ordered the deployment of central forces "immediately" in the Murshidabad in the wake of widespread violence in the district during the protests against the Waqf (Amendment) Act that resulted in three deaths so far.

Advocate Anish Mukherjee, representing West Bengal Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari, who has filed a PIL seeking deployment of central forces and an NIA probe, said, "For several days now, we have been witnessing widespread violence throughout the state of West Bengal, particularly in the Murshidabad district."

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The violence broke out in the Muslim-dominated Murshidabad district during a protest over the Waqf (Amendment) Act.

Police said the protests swept across Malda, Murshidabad, South 24 Parganas and Hooghly districts, leading to arson, stone-pelting and road blockades.

Officials said the situation in the violence-hit areas remained tense on Saturday morning, though no fresh incidents were reported.

Prohibitory orders have been imposed and internet services suspended in the worst-hit Murshidabad district, where violence took place.