Kolkata, April 9 (NationPress) The National Investigation Agency has formally requested the court for the detention of 47 individuals implicated in the Kaliachak incident, confirmed an official from the central investigative body.

So far, approximately 12 First Information Reports have been registered regarding this matter. Notably, the Chief Judicial Magistrate's court in Malda district had previously remanded the arrested individuals into police custody.

Subsequently, the court ruled that 46 of the accused be placed under judicial custody. This time, the NIA is seeking their custody to facilitate a deeper investigation into the incident.

NIA officials have stated that the accused face serious charges, including attempted murder, illegal confinement, unlawful assembly, assaulting government personnel during their efforts to dismantle illegal gatherings, obstructing officials, defying orders from authorities, among others, as per various sections of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita.

Additional allegations against the accused include assaulting workers, attacking government officials, damaging public property, criminal intimidation, blocking national highways for extended periods, and illegal blockades.

The protests in regions such as Mothabari, Sujapur, and Kaliachak in Malda were sparked by grievances over the exclusion of names from the voter list in West Bengal.

During these protests, an irate crowd kept seven judges occupied at the Kaliachak-II block office until late at night.

The situation escalated to the Supreme Court, which expressed dissatisfaction with the local police administration, suggesting that the investigation should be conducted by either the Central Bureau of Investigation or the NIA. The Election Commission subsequently assigned the NIA to handle the investigation.

During his campaign in West Bengal, PM Modi highlighted this issue, criticizing the Trinamool Congress for creating a climate of fear in the state. He accused the party of misleading the public regarding the Summary Revision process and stated that infiltrators have no place in Bengal.

In contrast, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee blamed the Election Commission for the turmoil, asserting that maintaining law and order is now the responsibility of the election body. She further contended that the Election Commission had altered a significant number of police and government officials following the announcement of the election, thereby exacerbating the law and order situation.