Bengal bypoll: MLA Humayun Kabir arrested for threatening police, grabbing cop by collar in Rejinagar
Synopsis
AJUP MLA Humayun Kabir was arrested on polling day in Rejinagar after threatening police with 'cudgels' and grabbing a cop by the collar — an extraordinary spectacle that underscores just how combustible West Bengal's bypoll battleground has become. His own decision to vacate the seat triggered this very election, and now his son is on the ballot while he sits in custody.
Key Takeaways
Humayun Kabir , AJUP founder and MLA, was arrested on 6 October 2026 during voting in the Rejinagar bypoll , Murshidabad, West Bengal.
Kabir was seen grabbing a West Bengal Police sub-inspector by the collar and made public threats of confrontation with 'cudgels'.
He alleged that minority voters in Rejinagar were harassed by district police since bypoll dates were announced; the claims are unverified.
The bypoll was triggered because Kabir himself vacated the Rejinagar seat after winning both Rejinagar and Naoda in this year's state elections, retaining Naoda.
His son, Golam Nabi Azad , is the AJUP candidate in Rejinagar; over 65% of the constituency's voters are from the minority community.
34 companies of CAPF were deployed for security; 14 candidates are contesting in a six-party race.
Aam Janata Unnayan Party (AJUP) founder and MLA Humayun Kabir was arrested on Tuesday, 6 October 2026, after he publicly threatened state police and Central Armed Police Forces during voting in the Rejinagar Assembly Constituency bypoll in Murshidabad district, West Bengal. Video footage showed Kabir grabbing a sub-inspector of the West Bengal Police by the collar, following which he was detained and taken to Rejinagar Police Station.
What Led to the Arrest
Kabir arrived at a polling booth in Rejinagar in the morning with family members to cast his vote. After stepping out of the polling station and speaking to reporters, he issued an explicit threat of physical confrontation against security forces.
'The police personnel have surrounded my house since this morning. If the police come to beat us, will they let them go? We will confront them with cudgels,' Kabir said. He then got into repeated altercations and scuffles with deployed personnel before being taken into custody.
Kabir's Allegations Against the Administration
Before his arrest, Kabir levelled serious allegations against the district police administration, claiming that voters — particularly those from the minority community — had faced systematic harassment since polling dates were announced.
'Houses of common voters have been vandalised and looted. Even, there have been attempts to rob the women voters of their dignity. Today, it seems that Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari has unleashed his Alsatian dogs in all the polling booths at Rejinagar. We will not allow the ruling party to snatch the voting rights of the common people by using the police. So, I am asking the people of Rejinagar to confront the police with cudgels,' Kabir said.
These allegations have not been independently verified and the administration has not issued a formal response to them on record.
Why Rejinagar Is Going to Polls
The bypoll was necessitated by Kabir himself. In the West Bengal Assembly elections held earlier this year, he won from both the Naoda and Rejinagar seats in Murshidabad district. He subsequently opted to retain Naoda, vacating Rejinagar and triggering the current bypoll. His son, Golam Nabi Azad, is the AJUP's candidate in Rejinagar this time.
The Contest and Security Deployment
Rejinagar is witnessing a six-cornered contest among the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), AJUP, Congress, Mamata All India Trinamool Congress, Democratic Trinamool Congress, CPI(M), and the Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) — with a total of 14 candidates on the ballot. A tough outcome is expected given that over 65 per cent of Rejinagar's voters are from the minority community.
Authorities deployed 34 companies of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) to manage security across polling booths. The incident highlights the volatile political climate in Murshidabad, a district that has witnessed recurring electoral tension across successive state polls.
What Happens Next
With Kabir in custody, the AJUP's campaign in Rejinagar faces a significant disruption on polling day itself. The outcome of the vote count — and any formal action on his allegations — will be closely watched as an indicator of ground-level electoral dynamics in Bengal's minority-dominated constituencies.
Point of View
Rather than after, a flashpoint occurred? Deploying 34 CAPF companies signals the administration knew the stakes, yet the on-ground friction suggests coordination gaps. The deeper pattern — of Murshidabad bypolls producing confrontations rather than clean mandates — will not be resolved by a single arrest. It demands a structural accountability conversation about how electoral security is supervised in high-tension constituencies.
NationPress
6 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why was Humayun Kabir arrested during the Rejinagar bypoll?
Kabir was arrested on 6 October 2026 after he threatened state police and Central forces with physical confrontation and was seen grabbing a West Bengal Police sub-inspector by the collar during voting in the Rejinagar Assembly Constituency bypoll. He was taken to Rejinagar Police Station following repeated altercations with deployed security personnel.
Why is the Rejinagar Assembly seat holding a bypoll?
The bypoll was necessitated after Kabir won both the Naoda and Rejinagar seats in the West Bengal Assembly elections held earlier this year and chose to retain Naoda, vacating Rejinagar. Under electoral rules, a sitting MLA cannot hold two seats simultaneously, requiring a fresh election for the vacated constituency.
Who is contesting the Rejinagar bypoll?
Rejinagar has 14 candidates in a six-cornered main contest involving the BJP, AJUP, Congress, Mamata All India Trinamool Congress, Democratic Trinamool Congress, CPI(M), and the Revolutionary Socialist Party. AJUP's candidate is Golam Nabi Azad, Kabir's son.
What allegations did Kabir make against the police before his arrest?
Kabir alleged that minority community voters in Rejinagar had been harassed by the district police administration since bypoll dates were announced, including claims of house vandalisation, looting, and attempts to intimidate women voters. He also referred to Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari's administration in inflammatory terms. These allegations are unverified and no official response was on record at the time of his arrest.
How many security forces were deployed for the Rejinagar bypoll?
Authorities deployed 34 companies of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) across polling booths in Rejinagar, reflecting the constituency's history of electoral tension and its demographic sensitivity — over 65% of its voters are from the minority community.
