Kolkata, India – The National Investigation Agency (NIA) team faced a violent attack in Bhupatinagar, East Midnapore, resulting in injuries to a team member and damage to their vehicle. The incident occurred as the team was returning after detaining two Trinamool Congress leaders, Balai Charan Maity and Monobrata Jana, accused of being involved in a blast that claimed three lives in December 2022. The NIA team encountered an aggressive crowd that obstructed their path to the Bhupatinagar Police Station, prompting a complaint to the local police. Despite the complaint, residents tried to block the NIA team during extensive searches at various locations.
The investigation unveiled a conspiracy by Maity and Jana to manufacture and detonate crude bombs to incite terror. Both individuals were actively involved in the conspiracy, leading to their subsequent arrest. During the altercation with the aggressive crowd, a member of the NIA team sustained minor injuries, and the agency’s vehicle was damaged. The arrests of Maity and Jana followed extensive searches at five locations, including Jana’s residence, where local residents attempted to impede the NIA’s operation.
In response to the attack on the NIA team, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has requested a detailed report from the district magistrate of East Midnapore. This incident marked the second assault on a central investigating agency in West Bengal within a short period, following a previous attack on ED and CAPF personnel in Sandeshkhali. The BJP condemned the attack on the NIA team, labeling it a “state-sponsored attack” orchestrated to hinder the 2022 blast case probe and protect those involved in the incident.
BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla criticized Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, alleging her involvement in inciting violence to obstruct the investigation. Poonawalla characterized the attack on the NIA officials as evidence of the TMC’s “Talibani mindset culture” and accused the ruling party of orchestrating the assault. The BJP leader highlighted a pattern of political violence, attacks on central probe agencies, corruption, and protection of radical elements under the current government’s leadership.