Malda hostage culprits fled, youths harassed by NIA: Mamata Banerjee

West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee said on Saturday that while the actual masterminds behind the hostage of judicial officers in Malda have fled, local youths were being harassed in the name of a probe by the National Investigation Agency (NIA).

“Two communal parties came and gheraoed the judicial officers. They then fled. Meanwhile the local youths are being harassed. In the name of NIA probe, they are arresting 40–50 youths. We can’t even protest. No one can submit deputation to the Election Commission. They have choked all voices,” Banerjee said while addressing a rally at Manikchak in Malda.

On Wednesday, seven judicial officers appointed by the Calcutta High Court were gheraoed by a large mob at Kaliachak over deletion of names from the electoral roll after the Special Intensive Revision in poll-bound West Bengal.

The ECI on Thursday handed over the probe to the NIA, following a Supreme Court directive.

“If Muslims are bad then why does PM Modi hug & dine with the leaders of the Arab world? BJP tortures people. It is an anti-woman party. They are totally against Bengal,” she said at another rally in Gazole.

Banerjee, who has been addressing public rallies in various districts over the past ten days as part of her election campaign, held her first roadshow in the English Bazar area in the district.

“I am challenging Union home minister Amit Shah to hold a meeting here and meet those people whose names have been wrongfully deleted. You instruct people to delete Muslim voters from everywhere,” she said.

Malda, a bordering and Muslim-majority district, has the second-highest number of cases under adjudication by judicial officers after Murshidabad. While there are 11,01,145 such cases in Murshidabad, Malda, with 8,28,127 cases, comes second.

“Don’t fall for any provocation. They want to create trouble and get 30–40 people arrested from every area. This is happening in Malda. Innocent people are getting arrested. NIA, CBI, ED, BSF & CISF are under Mota Bhai’s control,” she said at Manikchak.

Meanwhile, the chief minister ordered a probe after a drone was spotted in the sky before her chopper could take off after a rally at Malatipur in Malda. Police later said three persons were being questioned.

The BJP hit back, saying that Banerjee was making baseless allegations as she knows that the TMC will not return to power this time.

“These are all baseless allegations. She knows she will lose and hence is trying to come up with such narratives. She is trying to play the victim card and divert attention,” said BJP leader Rahul Sinha.

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