ADG North Bengal K Jayaraman has informed that 35 persons have been arrested so far for the violence and mob unrest on Wednesday where 7 judicial officers, including 3 women officers were held hostage for over 9 hours.
The judicial officers were gheraoed by an angry mob, instigated by political leaders, while fulfilling their official duties over the Bengal SIR exercise.
#WATCH | Malda, West Bengal | On Malda incident, ADG North Bengal K Jayaraman says, "We have arrested 35 people and registered 19 cases so far. The main instigator Mofakkarul Islam has been detained in Bagdogra. He is being brought here. NIA will take over the investigation of… pic.twitter.com/HCwTOZ3iv6
— ANI (@ANI) April 3, 2026
The officers were gheraoed inside the Kaliachak II Block Development Office while adjudicating voter objections ahead of the state Assembly polls.
North Bengal ADG K Jayaraman announced that 35 people have been arrested and 19 cases registered so far. The main accused, Mofakkarul Islam from AIMIM has been arrested in Bagdogra. Islam is being brought back to Malda. He added that NIA will take over the case. The police are also examining why there was a delay in the rescue of the judicial officers despite communications and frantic calls.
The crowd surrounded the building from around 4 pm, preventing the officials from leaving and denying them food and water. Protesters also blocked nearby national and state highways, causing widespread disruption. A large police contingent with paramilitary forces finally rescued the officers around 1 am Thursday after using lathi charge to disperse the mob.
On Thursday, the violence had broken out again in Malda, where a police vehicle was attacked and the driver was injured. The unrest is linked to the ongoing Special Intensive Voter Revision (SIR), with many people claiming that names of valid voters are being removed from the electoral rolls.
