Bengal by-election: Humayun Kabir moves HRC over alleged police crackdown on AJUP workers
Synopsis
With the Rejinagar by-election just days away, AJUP chief Humayun Kabir has taken his fight against alleged police harassment to the West Bengal Human Rights Commission — the third formal escalation in a week after a protest sit-in and a letter to the Election Commission. His son is on the ballot for the seat Kabir himself vacated after winning it in 2026, giving the dispute a sharply personal edge.
Key Takeaways
Humayun Kabir , AJUP Chairman and Nowda MLA , filed a complaint with the West Bengal Human Rights Commission on 30 September 2026 .
He alleged illegal arrests and house raids by police of Beldanga, Nowda, and Shaktinagar stations in Murshidabad .
The complaint comes ahead of the Rejinagar Assembly by-election on 6 October 2026 .
Kabir had earlier written to the Election Commission of India and staged a sit-in protest outside Rejinagar police station on 24 September .
Kabir won the Rejinagar seat in the 2026 Assembly elections , relinquished it, and has now fielded his son as the AJUP candidate.
Police had not responded to the allegations at the time of reporting.
Aam Janata Unnayan Party (AJUP) Chairman and Nowda MLA Humayun Kabir on Wednesday, 30 September 2026, filed a formal complaint before the West Bengal Human Rights Commission (HRC) in Kolkata, alleging that police were illegally detaining and harassing his party's leaders and workers ahead of the Rejinagar Assembly by-election scheduled for 6 October. Kabir appeared at the HRC's office accompanied by several party workers and their families. The police had not responded to the allegations at the time of reporting.
What Kabir Alleged Before the HRC
Kabir directed his complaint specifically against personnel of the Beldanga, Nowda, and Shaktinagar police stations in Murshidabad district. He alleged that raids were being conducted on the homes of party supporters and that workers were being picked up unlawfully to prevent campaign activity in the run-up to the by-poll.
'My party workers and supporters are being harassed unilaterally. Their houses are being raided,' Kabir said. He further claimed that the alleged harassment extended beyond his party's cadre, asserting that ordinary residents of Murshidabad had also raised concerns about police conduct. 'We want the Human Rights Commission to take note of the matter and intervene,' he added.
A Pattern of Pre-Poll Escalation
This is not the first formal move Kabir has made over the issue. On 24 September, he staged a sit-in protest outside the Rejinagar police station, again alleging arrests of party figures to choke campaigning. He had earlier written to the Election Commission of India (ECI), alleging that the Superintendent of Police of the Berhampore Police District was directly trying to influence the electoral outcome. The sequence — letter to the ECI, street protest, and now a human rights petition — points to an escalating standoff between the party and state law enforcement ahead of the vote.
Political Background: Why Rejinagar Matters
The Rejinagar by-election is a direct consequence of Kabir's own electoral success. He won the 2026 Assembly elections from both the Rejinagar and Nowda constituencies, and subsequently relinquished Rejinagar, triggering the by-poll. He has now fielded his son as the AJUP candidate for the seat.
Kabir alleged that the ruling party in West Bengal was attempting to capture the Rejinagar seat 'by any means' and was deploying what he described as illegal methods to do so. He further claimed that police in the region were effectively functioning as an instrument of the ruling party rather than as a neutral force — an allegation the police have not addressed.
What Happens Next
The West Bengal Human Rights Commission will decide whether to take cognisance of the complaint and issue notices. The Rejinagar and Nandigram Assembly by-elections are both scheduled for 6 October, leaving little time for administrative intervention before polling day. With the Election Commission already in receipt of a separate letter from Kabir, the dual-track pressure — through both rights and electoral oversight bodies — raises the stakes for state authorities to respond publicly before the vote.
Point of View
Where allegations of ruling-party complicity in police action have surfaced repeatedly across constituencies. What makes this case unusual is Kabir's dual position: he is both the complainant and the reason the by-election exists, having vacated the very seat he is now trying to hold through his son. The HRC petition, stacked on top of an ECI letter and a public sit-in, suggests Kabir is building a paper trail rather than expecting immediate relief — useful if results are later contested. The absence of any police response, even a denial, is a detail the Commission and the Election Commission will likely find difficult to ignore.
NationPress
30 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Humayun Kabir approach the West Bengal Human Rights Commission?
Kabir filed a complaint with the West Bengal Human Rights Commission on 30 September 2026, alleging that police were illegally arresting and raiding the homes of AJUP party workers and leaders in Murshidabad district ahead of the Rejinagar Assembly by-election on 6 October. He specifically named the Beldanga, Nowda, and Shaktinagar police stations in his complaint.
When is the Rejinagar by-election and why is it being held?
The Rejinagar Assembly by-election is scheduled for 6 October 2026. It is being held because Humayun Kabir won both the Rejinagar and Nowda seats in the 2026 Assembly elections and subsequently relinquished the Rejinagar constituency, making a by-poll mandatory.
What other actions has Humayun Kabir taken over the alleged police harassment?
Kabir staged a sit-in protest outside the Rejinagar police station on 24 September 2026 over similar allegations. He also wrote a separate letter to the Election Commission of India, alleging that the Superintendent of Police of the Berhampore Police District was attempting to directly influence the election.
What has the police said in response to the allegations?
The police had not responded to the allegations at the time of reporting. No official denial or statement from any of the named police stations — Beldanga, Nowda, or Shaktinagar — had been issued.
Who is the AJUP candidate for the Rejinagar by-election?
Humayun Kabir has fielded his son as the AJUP candidate for the Rejinagar seat. Kabir himself originally won the constituency in the 2026 Assembly elections before relinquishing it, triggering the current by-poll.
