A mob held seven judicial officers hostage during voter list revision in Malda, triggering Supreme Court criticism and a joint CBI-NIA probe. Arrests have been made as political tensions intensify.
7 judicial officers involved in the SIR process were held hostage by a mob
New Delhi: The Election Commission has brought in the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to probe the Malda incident, where seven judicial officers were held hostage. The move follows sharp observations from the Supreme Court, which criticised the West Bengal administration and directed a central agency investigation.
Calling the state “highly polarised” ahead of elections, the court expressed concern over the safety of officials engaged in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. It also instructed the EC to ensure adequate deployment of Central forces at sensitive locations.
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The incident unfolded on Wednesday in the Kaliachak area of Malda district. According to officials, a group of protesters surrounded seven judicial officers at a Block Development Office (BDO) around 3:30 pm, confining them for nearly nine hours.
The agitation was reportedly triggered by allegations that names were being removed from voter lists during the revision process. Protesters claimed that eligible voters were being disenfranchised, leading to tensions that escalated into a gherao.
Security personnel later intervened and rescued the officers around midnight, bringing the situation under control.
So far, 18 individuals have been arrested in connection with the incident. Authorities said efforts are ongoing to identify others involved in the alleged unlawful confinement and disruption of official work.
Similar protests linked to the voter list revision exercise were also reported from Jalpaiguri and Cooch Behar, indicating broader unrest over the SIR process in parts of the state.
The episode has sparked a sharp political confrontation between the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari alleged that the incident was “planned and organised” under the direction of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
Banerjee dismissed the allegations and instead blamed the Election Commission for failing to provide adequate security to the officials. She also accused Union Home Minister Amit Shah of attempting to interfere in the state’s administrative setup, further escalating the political row.
With elections approaching, the incident has raised serious concerns about the safety of officials involved in electoral duties. The involvement of central agencies and enhanced security deployment reflects the growing sensitivity around the voter list revision process.
