Malda Violence: NIA Nabs 15 More In Mothabari Judicial Officers Attack Case, Arrest Count Rises To 65
Malda Violence: NIA Nabs 15 More In Mothabari Judicial Officers Attack Case, Arrest Count Rises To 65 Reported By, Edited By Last Updated: May 26
Malda Violence: NIA Nabs 15 More In Mothabari Judicial Officers Attack Case, Arrest Count Rises To 65 Reported By, Edited By Last Updated: May 26, 2026, 08:05 IST Judicial officers reportedly came under attack while carrying out work linked to the SIR exercise in Malda's Mothabari. Police later rescued the officers from the area. 7 judicial officers were gheraoed for hours in Bengal's Malda The Investigation Agency has arrested 15 more people in connection with the Mothabari incident in Malda district of West Bengal, taking the total number of arrests in the case to around 65. The arrests were made during late-night raids carried out in Mothabari on Monday. Officials said the accused were identified through CCTV footage collected during the investigation. What are the charges? The accused have been charged in connection with the blockade organised during protests against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process. According to investigators, the protesters allegedly confined judicial officers inside the block office, obstructed police personnel from carrying out their duties and attacked members of the judiciary.
Officials said the newly arrested accused were brought to Kolkata late Monday night after the raids. They are expected to be produced before a court later on Tuesday as the investigation into the Mothabari judicial officers attack case continues. Earlier arrests included political figures Before the latest operation, around 50 people had already been arrested in connection with the case. Those arrested earlier included advocate Mofakkerul Islam, Trinamool Congress Kaliachak Block President Mohammad Sariul Sheikh, Indian Secular Front Gram Panchayat member Golam Rabbani and ISF candidate Shahjahan Ali Kadri. Police had identified Mofakkerul Islam and ISF leader Maulana Shahjahan Ali as among the alleged key conspirators in the case. What we know about the case? The case relates to violence that took place on April 1 at the Mothabari Block Office in Malda. During the protests, judicial officers reportedly came under attack while carrying out work linked to the SIR exercise.
Police later rescued the officers from the area. However, authorities alleged that the convoy escorting them was attacked again while leaving the location. The Mothabari case gained national attention after reports emerged that seven judicial officers were surrounded by a large mob during the protests. According to officials, around 200 to 300 protesters gathered near the Kaliachak II block office area and held the officers inside the premises for more than nine hours. The officials allegedly remained confined without food or water and faced verbal abuse and threats before security forces rescued them around midnight. Among those trapped inside were reportedly three women officers and one officer accompanied by a five-year-old child. West Bengal Police later described the violence as a planned attack rather than a spontaneous protest. NIA probe Following the incident, the Supreme Court took suo motu cognisance of the matter. After this, the Election Commission handed over the investigation to the Investigation Agency.
The NIA subsequently deployed a 24-member team to Malda to investigate the alleged conspiracy, possible security lapses and the role of political actors linked to the Mothabari Assembly constituency. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit Location: Kolkata [Calcutta], India, India First Published: May 26, 2026, 08:05 IST News india Malda Violence: NIA Nabs 15 More In Mothabari Judicial Officers Attack Case, Arrest Count Rises To 65 Disclaimer: Comments reflect users’ views, not News18’s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments...
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