Attack On NIA Team: East Midnapore Police Registers Case, Assures Investigation

Purba Medinipur (West Bengal) [India] : A day after the attack on an NIA team at Bhupatinagar in Purba Medinipur district while carrying out a probe in connection with a blast case, the East Midnapore Police have registered an FIR and assured an investigation in the matter.

The police have registered an FIR against the NIA team and CRPF officials on the complaint of a woman. She alleged that NIA officials molested her by breaking the doors of their houses late at night.

The case has been registered at Bhupatinagar PS under Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections 325, 34, 354, 354(b), 427, 448, and 509.
Meanwhile, the NIA has also registered a case against the attackers at the Bhupatinagar police station.

SP Soumyadeep Bhattacharya said, "An NIA team had reached Bhupatinagar police station and we (police) fully cooperated with them. Earlier, another NIA team had come and there were reports of some arguments with them. During the incident, a vehicle was vandalised before the police arrived and one person was also reported to be injured. A FIR has been registered and an investigation is going on. Efforts for arrest are underway."

Earlier on Saturday, some officers of the NIA were allegedly heckled in Purba Medinipur district while carrying out a probe in connection with a blast case.

According to sources in the elite anti-terror probe agency, an NIA team visiting Puba Medinipur in connection with an ongoing probe into the blast case came under attack on Saturday.

Sources said the vehicle in which the NIA officers were travelling was allegedly vandalised while a person was being picked up in connection with the case.

In a video of the alleged incident that was widely shared on social media, locals were purportedly seen gathering around a vehicle, trying to stop the NIA team from taking the suspect along with them.

The villagers also pelted the vehicle with stones, sources added.

Notably, a similar attack was made on ED team at Sandeshkhali on in the state's North 24 Parganas district on Jan 5.

A team of ED officers were surrounded, heckled, and attacked by protesters in Sandeshkhali while raiding the residence of expelled and jailed TMC strongman Sheikh Shahjahan and another ruling party leader in connection with an alleged food scam.