Kolkata (PTI): West Bengal Police arrested five more persons for their alleged involvement in the Murshidabad riots, taking the total number of arrests to 307, a senior officer said on Thursday.

The arrested persons, nabbed from different places in the district on Wednesday, had direct links to the riots in which three people were killed and several injured, he said.

"These five persons were involved in rioting. We arrested them on Wednesday," a senior officer of the Special Investigative Team (SIT) formed to probe the incidents of violence said.

Efforts are on to bring back the younger son of arrested prime accused Ziaul Sheikh, who is currently in the custody of Odisha Police, the officer said.

Communal clashes broke out in Shamsherganj, Suti, Dhulian and Jangipur in Murshidabad district on April 11 and 12, during protests against the Waqf (Amendment) Act.

The violence had resulted in three deaths.

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New Delhi, May 14 (PTI): The National Commission for Women has strongly condemned the purported derogatory remarks made against Colonel Sofiya Qureshi, calling for respect for women in uniform.

Though Commission chairperson Vijaya Rahatkar did not name anybody but her remarks come a day after Madhya Pradesh minister Vijay Shah's purported remarks against Qureshi sparked widespread outrage.

"It is extremely unfortunate that such statements are being made by some responsible persons which are derogatory and unacceptable towards women. This not only hurts the dignity of women in our society but is also an insult to the daughters of the nation who are playing an important role in the security of the country," she said on X.

"Dear Colonel Sofiya Qureshi is a proud daughter of this nation, a sister of all country-loving Indians, who has served the country with courage and dedication," she said, adding the entire country is proud of brave women like her and that such derogatory statements should be "strongly condemned."

The Congress shared a video in which Shah is purportedly heard making objectionable remarks, saying, "'Jinhone humari betiyon ke sindoor ujade the… humne unhiki behen bhej kar ke unki aisi ki taisi karwayi (those who wiped sindoor (vermilion) off our daughters' forehead... we sent their sister to teach them a lesson)'."

Shah later said, "If my words have hurt society and religion, then I am ready to apologise ten times." .

Colonel Qureshi was part of the tri-services team that conducted press briefings on Operation Sindoor alongside Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh. The Indian military response came after terrorists carried out a brutal attack in Pahalgam that left 26 people dead

Rahatkar also pointed to the recent CBSE results where girls have outperformed boys in several categories, stating that it is more important than ever to foster a respectful attitude towards women.

"To move towards a progressive nation, it is necessary that women move ahead and lead in every field," she said.

Calling for dignity in public discourse, she urged everyone to adopt respectful language and behaviour towards women.

"Underestimating the participation and contribution of women is not only unacceptable but also an obstacle to the development of the country," she added.