'Why did they raid at midnight?': Mamata Banerjee after attack on NIA team during raids

A new political controversy has arisen in West Bengal following an attack on a National Investigation Agency (NIA) team by villagers in the East Midnapore district’s Bhupatinagar area. The security officials were there to investigate a 2022 bomb blast case that resulted in three deaths. Shortly after the incident, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee raised concerns about the timing of the NIA's operation and accused the agency's officials of assaulting the villagers instead of the other way around.

 

West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress president Mamata Banerjee accused the NIA of working for the BJP.

"Why did they raid at midnight? Did they have police permission? Locals reacted in the way they would have if any other stranger had visited the place at midnight. Why are they arresting people right before the elections? What does the BJP think, that they will arrest every booth agent? What right does NIA have? They are doing all these to support the BJP. We call upon the entire world to fight against this BJP's dirty politics," Banerjee said. The Bengal Chief Minister accused NIA personnel of assaulting residents in Bhupatinagar instead of the villagers initiating the attack.

"Will the women sit back if they are attacked?" she asked. "We want the Election Commission to work impartially, not turn into a BJP-run commission," she said.

Banerjee asked, "Why are they arresting people just before the elections? Does the BJP think they will arrest every booth agent? What authority does the NIA have? All of this is being done to support the BJP. We urge the world to fight against this dirty politics of the BJP."

 

NIA officials investigating a 2022 bomb blast case were attacked by villagers in the Bhupatinagar area. According to a police official speaking to news agency PTI, the NIA team had arrested two persons earlier and was returning to Kolkata when their vehicle was attacked.

"Locals gheraoed the vehicle and pelted stones at it. The NIA has said one of its officers was also injured, "a senior police official told PTI.

The NIA has filed a police complaint concerning the attack. In response, the BJP's Bengal unit condemned the incident, labeling it as "disgusting."

"Disgusting! TMC's goons shamelessly attack NIA team with stones in East Midnapore, West Bengal, disrupting the investigation into the 2022 blast case. TMC's reign of terror must end! Time for real leadership that upholds law and order," it wrote on X.

Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, while speaking to reporters in Bihar's Patna said, "Has this happened for the first time? Was the Enforcement Directorate attacked or not? Sandeshkhali truth came out or not? Now NIA, because when they nab terrorist-related elements, then the attack occurs."

"The Law and Order structure of West Bengal has crumbled completely and since the control is right now with the Election Commission of India, it's high time that the Election Commission should take proper action against the Officer in Charge of Bhupatinagar Police Station, SDPO Contai, SP of Purba Medinipur District and the DG of WB Police," Suvendu Adhikari, party's senior leader and West Bengal's leader of the opposition (LoP) said.

"It is due to Mamata Banerjee's repeated instigation that even after the ED Officials were attacked at Sandeshkhali, the TMC Leaders could still dare to attack the NIA officers. She recently spoke ill about the NIA at the political event at Mathabhanga, in the Cooch Behar district," he wrote on X.