In a significant development ahead of the upcoming West Bengal Assembly election, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested two individuals in connection with the Malda's Kaliachak incident in the Mothabari area.
The arrests were made during a late-night operation on Sunday, with the accused identified as Shahadat Hossain and Asif Sheikh. Both are reportedly associated with the Congress party.
Earlier, the NIA had arrested Golam Rabbani, marking the first detention linked to the case.
The investigation stems from allegations that seven judicial officers were gheraoed and confined inside the Block Development Officer’s office for over nine hours during unrest in Kaliachak in protest against exclusions in the voter list. According to reports, the officers were later rescued by police personnel. However, tensions escalated further when the officers were allegedly attacked while leaving the premises, and their vehicles were reportedly vandalised.
Following the incident, the NIA initiated a probe into what it describes as a possible larger conspiracy behind the unlawful assembly and coordinated unrest in the Mothabari area. Sources indicate that both arrested accused had been under surveillance for an extended period.
Investigators suspect the involvement of a broader network, with searches ongoing to identify and apprehend other suspects.
NIA officials have stated that fresh leads are emerging during the interrogation of the accused, and efforts are underway to trace additional individuals linked to the incident.
Meanwhile, administrative action has also been initiated in the district. Sheikh Ansar Ahmed, the Additional District Magistrate (Law and Order) of Maldah, has been served a show-cause notice over alleged lapses in duty.
According to the notice, Ahmed was deputed to Kaliachak on April 1 to oversee law and order amid rising tensions. He was instructed to monitor the situation closely from 11:30 am and to be physically present at the site between 3:30 pm and 4:00 pm to ensure coordination between police and administrative authorities.
However, the District Magistrate’s office reportedly received no updates from him for nearly five hours, between 3:30 pm and 8:30 pm. Subsequent inquiries revealed that during this period, he was in constant communication with local officials, including the Sub-Divisional Officer and the BDO, but failed to relay any information to senior authorities.
Officials have termed this lapse serious, especially given the volatile situation on the ground at the time.
With arrests continuing and administrative accountability being examined, the Kaliachak incident has once again come under sharp focus, adding a political dimension as the state moves closer to the high-stakes assembly elections.
Follow us
