Despite prohibitory orders in West Bengal’s violence-hit Asansol, a four-member delegation from the Bharatiya Janata Party visited the city amid high security on Sunday, PTI reported.

The delegation was formed by BJP President Amit Shah to take stock of the situation in the city after violence broke out over Ram Navami processions in March, The Indian Express reported.

The delegation – comprising BJP national Vice President and Rajya Sabha member Om Prakash Mathur, spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain, Palamu MP and former Director General of Jharkhand Police Vishnu Dayal Ram and Rajya Sabha member Roopa Ganguly – is expected to speak to the residents affected by the violence and submit a report to Shah, according to The Indian Express.

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The BJP has been blaming the Mamata Banerjee-led state government for failing to control the violence. “We visited the relief camps at Ramkrishnapur and Dhadka in Asansol and found that whatever had happened was wrong,” Hussain told PTI. “It was a failure on the part of the state government.”

The Asansol-Raniganj area has been tense since clashes broke out on March 26 during Ram Navami celebrations. Prohibitory orders are in force in Asansol and internet services will remain suspended till April 4.

Reports said the police stopped the delegation ahead of Asansol as prohibitory orders were in force in the area. But after a brief discussion, the BJP leaders went ahead.

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Earlier, the ruling Trinamool Congress said it would not allow the BJP team to visit Asansol and Raniganj because of the prohibitory orders. Party leaders said the election code of conduct was in place as the dates for the panchayat polls had been announced. This means, the state will not be able to provide security for the BJP team, PTI quoted officials as saying.

On Saturday, West Bengal Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi had visited Asansol and appealed for peace.