In the early hours of Saturday morning, a team from the National Investigation Agency (NIA) encountered hostility from locals in Bhupatinagar, located in West Bengal's East Midnapore district. The team's purpose was to probe an explosion that occurred in December 2022, resulting in the loss of three lives.
This marks the second instance of a Central agency team facing an attack within a mere three-month period. The preceding incident unfolded on January 5, when an Enforcement Directorate (ED) team, accompanied by CAPF personnel, was assaulted by a group exceeding 1,000 individuals during a raid at the residence of suspended Trinamool Congress leader Sheikh Shahjahan in Sandeshkhali, North 24 Parganas district.
During the attack on the ED team, three officials sustained injuries necessitating hospitalization.
According to sources, the NIA had previously summoned several local TMC leaders, including Bhupatinagar resident Balai Maiti and Monobrata Jana, for questioning regarding the December 2022 blast.
Upon the non-compliance of the summonses by Maiti and Jana, the NIA apprehended them upon reaching Bhupatinagar early Saturday morning. However, on their way back, the vehicle was intercepted by a group of local villagers demanding the release of the detained individuals.
Refusing to comply, NIA officials faced aggression from over 100 individuals who attacked the vehicle, causing minor injuries to two officials.
Nevertheless, the NIA team managed to escape the scene and seek refuge at the local police station, where they initiated the process of lodging an FIR.
Since the initiation of a comprehensive investigation by the NIA, Trinamool Congress leadership has denounced the development as a deliberate effort by the BJP and the Central government to target TMC leaders.
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