Months after Enforcement Directorate officers on duty were attacked in West Bengal, a team of National Investigation Agency officers were attacked in the state, sources told THE WEEK.
The incident happened in Bhupatinagar in East Medinipur district, where they had gone to probe a 2022 bomb blast case and were on the way back to Kolkata with two persons they had arrested in connection with the case. A mob of around 100 people gathered, preventing the NIA officers from taking the two accused into custody. The crowd pelted stones at the NIA team's vehicle, sources said.
"The NIA has said one of its officers was injured," a senior police official said. The agency has lodged a police complaint in this regard, he said.
A huge contingent of central police force has reached Bhupatinagar, where the NIA team is present along with the two arrested persons, police said.
Three persons were killed when in explosion in a kutcha house in Bhupatinagar on December 3, 2022. The investigation was later handed over to the NIA.
The attack comes after the ED teams were attacked twice in the state in January this year. In Sandeshkhali in South 24 Parganas district, three ED officers were injured after a mob vandalised their vehicles during a raid at the residence of TMC leader Shahjahan Sheikh. The mob also snatched their personal belongings such as mobile phones and wallets.
A similar scene was witnessed when the ED arrested Bongaon Municipality's former chairman Shankar Adhya in connection with the alleged ration scam. His supporters allegedly tried to block the officers from taking him with them, and hurled stones at their vehicles. The CRPF personnel who were accompanying the ED team had to baton-charge the mob to bring the situation under control.
(With inputs from Salil Bera)
