A team of National Investigation Agency ( NIA) was attacked by locals in West Bengal’s Bhupatinagar area in the morning on Saturday during an early morning raid in connection with investigation in bomb blast . An NIA official suffered minor injuries in the attack.
The NIA team was visiting the area in connection with investigation in the Bhupatinagar blast case of December 2022. The explosion due to crude bombs on December 3, 2022, had claimed three lives. Officials today arrested two key conspirators “amid stiff resistance from an unruly crowd in the state’s East Medinipore district.”
“The duo, Balai Charan Maity and Manobrata Jana, were arrested after extensive searches at five locations, including the house of Jana, where a crowd of local residents tried to obstruct the NIA team,” the agency said in a press release.
“One NIA team member suffered minor injury and the agency’s official vehicle was also damaged as some miscreants in the crowd assaulted them. The aggressive crowd tried to stop the NIA team and its security component from moving towards Bhupatinagar police station to complete the arrest formalities,” it added.
After the NIA detained two persons at Bhupatinagar, a group of locals gathered around the vehicle carrying the NIA officials, held protests, and allegedly threw stones at the vehicle. The NIA produced the two arrested before a court in Kolkata. The development days ahead of Lok Sabha polls have become a major talking point in the State’s politics.
The Purba Medinipur police administration said that a request from the NIA to provide support for the investigation was received on Saturday morning. Before the police could provide any assistance, the NIA team visited the area with central armed police personnel, the police said.
The NIA investigation into the blast at the house of a local Trinamool Congress leader has evoked strong political reactions from the State’s ruling dispensation over the past few days. The NIA had issued notices to eight persons to appear before the agency, but none of them turned up.
Raids were being carried out at midnight; police was not informed: Mamata
“What happens when people in a village see a stranger in the middle of the night? That is what happened [at Bhupatinagar]. Why are raids held at midnight? The police was not informed. Why are agencies suddenly active before the election? Why are these arrests made before the election? All this is being done to help the BJP in the polls,“ West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said, reacting to the attack on the NIA team at Bhupatinagar.
Later in the day while speaking at the public rally, Ms. Banerjee gave slogans “NIA and CBI, BJP bhai bhai” . She also added that Enforcement Directorate and Income Tax serve as ‘money box: to the BJP as they help to fill the party’s coffers.
The Trinamool Congress leadership had written to the Election Commission of India alleging that the NIA investigation ahead of Lok Sabha polls has a political bias. Trinamool Congress leaders have alleged that Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders were in touch with NIA officials and held meetings in Kolkata.
Ms. Banerjee has been raising questions on the role of central investigation agencies during her public meetings over the past few days.
The attack on NIA comes almost three months after a team of officials of Enforcement Directorate were attacked at Sandeshkhali on January 5, by supporters of a local Trinamool Congress leader Sheikh Shahjahan. Mr. Shahjahan remains in the custody of ED in connection with the attack.
All criminals in Bengal enjoy TMC’s protection: Amit Malviya
Reacting to the attack, BJP’ Amit Malviya who is also the State co-incharge for the party said that all criminals in West Bengal, from Shahjahan Sheikh to Anubroto Mondal, enjoy TMC’s protection.
In a post on X (formerly, Twitter) he lashed out at the Chief Minister saying that “West Bengal continues to remain lawless, as ever,” under Ms. Banerjee.
