Humayun Kabir stages sit-in at Rejinagar police station ahead of by-poll
Synopsis
With the Rejinagar by-election just days away, AJUP chief Humayun Kabir parked himself outside a police station with a chair, accusing police of arresting his party's campaign machinery. The protest — his second in two weeks — signals a brewing confrontation in Murshidabad that has now reached the Election Commission.
Key Takeaways
AJUP Chairman Humayun Kabir staged a sit-in outside Rejinagar police station in Murshidabad on 24 September 2026 .
He alleged police were arresting AJUP leaders and workers to disrupt campaigning ahead of the 6 October Rejinagar by-election .
At least four AJUP functionaries — including block-level and regional leaders — were arrested between Saturday night and Monday.
Kabir has written to the Election Commission of India , accusing the Superintendent of Berhampore Police District of trying to influence the election.
This is Kabir's second sit-in protest in less than two weeks; he staged a similar demonstration at Shaktipur police station on 13 September .
Kabir vacated the Rejinagar seat after winning it in the 2026 Assembly elections and has fielded his son as the AJUP candidate.
Aam Janata Unnayan Party (AJUP) Chairman and Nowda MLA Humayun Kabir on Thursday, 24 September 2026, staged a sit-in protest outside the Rejinagar police station in Murshidabad district, West Bengal, alleging that police were systematically arresting his party's leaders and workers to prevent them from campaigning ahead of the Rejinagar by-election on 6 October. Kabir arrived at the station in a car, carrying a chair, and planted himself at the main gate in an act of open defiance.
The Allegations
Kabir directly accused the police of acting as agents of the state's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), claiming that workers from other parties were freely allowed to campaign while AJUP workers were being asked to leave. He alleged that the police in Rejinagar were 'brokering' for the ruling party and demanded their immediate removal.
He stated he would remain outside the station until 8 am on Friday, 25 September, accompanied by a female party leader, and warned that if the situation persisted, he would stage another sit-in on the actual day of the by-election.
Arrests of AJUP Leaders
According to Kabir, police arrested several of his party's functionaries in the days leading up to the protest. Those detained include Manjur Rahman alias Lebu, Haque Mallick, and Abdul Alim, arrested across Rejinagar and Shaktipur between Saturday night and Sunday morning. Mohammad Nasim Sheikh, described as a close associate of Kabir, was arrested from Miyagram in Shaktipur. An additional person was arrested on Monday.
Notably, Haque Mallick is the Rejinagar Block Vice President of AJUP and oversees six regions, while Abdul Alim is the President of the Dadpur region. Manjur Rahman's wife is a member of the Beldanga-2 Panchayat Samiti. The arrests have effectively targeted middle-level AJUP organisers at a critical campaign juncture.
Election Commission Complaint
Kabir has already written to the Election Commission of India (ECI) regarding the arrests, alleging that the Superintendent of Berhampore Police District was directly attempting to influence the electoral process. This is not his first such escalation — he had staged a similar sit-in outside Shaktipur police station on 13 September, signalling a pattern of confrontation with the local police ahead of the vote.
The Political Context
Kabir had won the 2026 Assembly elections from both the Rejinagar and Nowda constituencies and subsequently vacated the Rejinagar seat, triggering the current by-election. He has fielded his son as the AJUP candidate in the seat. The by-election is thus highly personal for Kabir, making the alleged police interference all the more charged politically.
Expressing defiance from outside the police station, Kabir said: 'The administration is arresting my people arbitrarily. They can arrest me too if they want.' As the 6 October by-election approaches, the standoff between AJUP and local law enforcement in Murshidabad is set to remain a flashpoint.
Point of View
The kind whose absence quietly stalls ground operations. The ECI complaint adds a paper trail that could matter if the by-election result is later contested. Whether the police acted on political instruction or routine pre-election caution remains unverified — but the pattern of two sit-ins in less than a fortnight suggests Kabir believes the pressure is coordinated, not coincidental.
NationPress
24 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Humayun Kabir stage a sit-in at Rejinagar police station?
Humayun Kabir staged the sit-in to protest what he called the arbitrary arrest of AJUP party leaders and workers ahead of the Rejinagar by-election on 6 October 2026. He alleged the police were working for the ruling BJP and preventing his party from campaigning freely.
Which AJUP leaders were arrested before the Rejinagar by-election?
At least four AJUP functionaries were arrested: Manjur Rahman alias Lebu, Haque Mallick (Rejinagar Block Vice President), Abdul Alim (Dadpur region President), and Mohammad Nasim Sheikh — a close associate of Kabir. An additional person was arrested on Monday.
Has Humayun Kabir approached the Election Commission?
Yes, Kabir has written to the Election Commission of India, alleging that the Superintendent of Berhampore Police District was directly attempting to influence the by-election. He has also threatened to stage a sit-in on polling day if the situation does not change.
Why is the Rejinagar by-election being held?
The Rejinagar by-election was triggered after Humayun Kabir won the 2026 Assembly elections from both Rejinagar and Nowda constituencies and subsequently vacated the Rejinagar seat. He has fielded his son as the AJUP candidate in the resulting by-poll.
Is this the first protest Kabir has staged against the police?
No. Kabir staged a similar sit-in outside Shaktipur police station on 13 September 2026 — making the Rejinagar protest his second such demonstration in less than two weeks, indicating an escalating dispute with the local police ahead of the by-election.
