The National Investigation Agency (NIA) conducted a special operation in West Bengal’s Malda district, leading to the arrest of 15 protesters linked to road blockade incidents and the alleged detention of judicial officers during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise before the state’s Assembly elections. The arrests were made following the Election Commission of India’s directive to the NIA, which took over the investigation after the Supreme Court’s intervention.
In one case, 12 individuals, including Joshim Sk and Asmaul Sk, were apprehended for detaining a woman judicial officer for nearly eight hours. Additionally, three others, namely Alamgir Sk, Nurul Islam, and Habibur Rahman, were arrested for their involvement in blocking Bagmara Bridge. Investigations are ongoing to identify more individuals connected to these incidents and to explore the possibility of a broader conspiracy behind the coordinated blockades and officer detentions.
Before these recent arrests, around 50 people had already been taken into custody in connection with the case, including advocate Mofakkerul Islam, Trinamool Congress Kaliachak Block President Mohammad Sariul Sheikh, Indian Secular Front (ISF) Gram Panchayat member Golam Rabbani, and ISF candidate Shahjahan Ali Kadri. The case stems from violence that erupted at the Mothabari Block Office during protests related to the electoral roll revision exercise, where judicial officers were reportedly attacked while on duty.
West Bengal Police characterized the incident as a pre-planned assault rather than a spontaneous demonstration. The situation garnered national attention when reports emerged that seven judicial officers were surrounded by a large mob during the protests, leading to their confinement for over nine hours. The officers, including women and a child, faced verbal abuse and threats before being rescued by security personnel.
Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee accused the BJP of instigating unrest in West Bengal and allegedly planning to disrupt the state’s Assembly elections to impose President’s Rule.
