After the recent incident in Farakka, where a BDO office in Murshidabad was vandalized, another BDO office in the Chakulia area of North Dinajpur district faced similar destruction. The Gorakhpur II BDO office in Chakulia was reportedly vandalized and set on fire during protests against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the voter list in the state. Police sources revealed that individuals blocked the state highway and staged a demonstration, with those summoned for the SIR hearing actively participating in the protest.
An officer-in-charge (IC) present during the vandalism at the BDO office sustained injuries, as reported by sources. The Election Commission responded strongly to the incident, with the BDO filing a written complaint at the Chakulia police station, which has been converted into a First Information Report (FIR). The disruption caused by the protests led to severe traffic congestion as individuals who had received summons for the SIR hearing were among the protesters.
Allegations of vandalism at the BDO office emerged amidst the chaos, prompting the police to intervene. The BDO office reported that around 300 individuals attempted to forcibly enter the premises, resulting in the destruction of electronic equipment, furniture, and documents. The estimated damage to the office in Chakulia is valued at approximately Rs 20 lakh. Additionally, reports suggest that the police faced aggression when trying to control the protesters, leading to injuries sustained by the officer-in-charge of the Chakulia police station and hospitalization of several office staff.
