KOLKATA: A National Investigation Agency (NIA) team was attacked in West Bengal’s Bhupatinagar in East Midnapore district on Saturday when they arrested two TMC workers in connection with a 2022 blast case.
Two NIA officials sustained injuries in the incident after stones were reportedly pelted at them and their vehicle was allegedly vandalised.
Slamming the NIA and other agencies, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee questioned why raids were conducted at midnight and ahead of elections.
A similar incident, which rocked the state, took place on January 5 when Enforcement Directorate officials went to conduct a raid at Trinamool Congress leader Shahjahan Sheikh’s house in Sandeshkhali in North 24 Parganas district. Five ED officials were injured in the incident.
In a High Court probe, the NIA had summoned two residents of Bhupatinagar -- Balai Maiti and Manobrata Jana -- in connection with the blast that ripped apart a house in Bhupatinagar on December 3, 2022. Three people were killed in the incident. As they did not appear before it, NIA officials nabbed them for questioning early on Saturday morning.
When the NIA officials were returning with Jana and Maiti, they were suddenly attacked.
Meanwhile, Banerjee lashed out at the agency, saying, "What right does the NIA have? They are doing all this to support the BJP. We call upon the entire world to fight against the BJP's dirty politics."
Alleging that women were tortured by the NIA at midnight, Banerjee said from a public rally in Balurghat, "It was the NIA that attacked and not the local people.”
Following the incident, the TMC and the BJP hit out at each other with the former saying the incident could have been avoided if the local administration had been alerted while the latter questioned the law and order situation in West Bengal.
BJP leader Amit Malviya blamed Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. “West Bengal continues to remain lawless, as ever, under Mamata Banerjee’s misrule,” he said in a post on X. “This [the attack on the NIA team] wouldn’t have been possible without local police’s involvement. All criminals in Bengal, from Shahjahan Sheikh to Anubroto Mondal, enjoy TMC’s protection,” he added.
“The incident in Bhupatinagar was unexpected and unfortunate. But, behind this is BJP’s politics and motivation. As people know BJP leaders met NIA and came with list of @AITCofficial workers, so everyone knows the conspiracy. Spontaneous anger. BJP is trying to remove Trinamool workers from the area with NIA on false charges in front of the court. People were forced to protest. BJP is planning to create chaos,” said TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh.
The TMC alleged it is a pre-planned conspiracy when a central agency goes to raid a place or conduct a search and informs the media but does not inform the local administration.
TMC leader Santanu Sen said, “The way central agencies are used against Opposition parties ahead of polls is unprecedented. If police and local administration had been informed, such an unfortunate incident could have been stopped. Naturally, it is clear that the BJP wants such incidents.”
