Kolkata: Three months after attack on Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials at Sandeshkhali in North 24 parganas, now officials of National Investigation Agency (NIA) were attacked in West Bengal’s East Midnapore’s Bhupatinagar area.
The villagers had attacked the NIA officials when they went to investigate a 2022 bomb blast case that claimed three lives at East Midnapore’s Bhupatinagar area.
During the clash one officer sustained a head injury and the windscreen of the car was also damaged after stones and bricks were hurled on it.
A NIA officer on anonymity said that around 9:30 am women of the area with sticks and stones gheraoed their car and hurled stones at the car while they were about to take two detained Trinamool Congress (TMC) booth level leader Balaicharan Maiti and Monobrata Jana with them for probing over the blast incident.
According to NIA sources, they have recorded statements of both the arrested TMC leaders secretly.
“The arrested leaders had skipped summons twice earlier. This time we carried a search warrant. Rs. 2 lakh 36 thousand cash has been recovered from Balaicharan Maiti’s house and four mobile phones were seized from them. The two arrested leaders have direct connection with the attack,” said the NIA sources.
A police officer from Bhupatinagar police station said that they had earlier assured all help to NIA during the probe.
“Before we could take the NIA team to the spot some of the officials had already reached the area and a scuffle broke out between the villagers and NIA. Cases have been filed and law will take its own course,” said the police.
Mamata Banerjee Accuses NIA
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee accused NIA for allegedly at the behest of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
“Why did they go to raid at midnight? Did they have any permission? They didn’t take state police but have taken BJP police. The women of the area had asked why they came at midnight? The women will not sit back if they are attacked. They (NIA) have arrested our (TMC) booth agent. Those agents who will be arrested, their family members will be made the booth agent. Ahead of the election this is done as the ‘traitor’ cannot win,” said Mamata.
According to sources, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) had called the Bhupatinagar police station and enquired about the incident.
West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose said that the matter will be dealt with ‘all seriousness’.
“Such tendency of intimidation on investigation agencies is deplorable. This will not be and should not be allowed. Muscle power should not replace legal power. It will be dealt with iron hand,” said Bose.
Meanwhile, the NIA had produced the two arrested TMC leaders at Bankshall court and asked for five days custody. However, the court had ordered that the arrested TMC leaders will be under NIA custody till April 10.
Opposition Slams Mamata Banerjee's Comments
Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari said that the comments of Mamata Banerjee on the attack of NIA is an ‘insult’ to the Constitution.
CPI (M) leader Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya and Congress state president Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said that by the comments of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee it is clear that she is giving ‘indulgence’ to such attacks.
