West Bengal violence: Miscreants vandalize Chakulia block development office, burn SIR forms

Kolkata: The block development office in North Dinajpur’s Chakulia was vandalized by miscreants on Thursday.

There was major chaos and violence. Stones were hurled and SIR forms were set on fire. The rampage continued for around three hours and police personnel, including the inspector in-charge, were injured. The mob destroyed BDO infrastructure, office accessories, electronic gadgets, other office documents from various sections. Properties worth Rs 20 lakh are estimated to have got damaged.

West Bengal chief electoral officer (WB-CEO) Manoj Kumar Agarwal said the issue has been taken up with the chief secretary and DGP and “they have assured us of all steps”. “A case has been registered and arrests have been made,” the CEO said, adding that the state government is bound to maintain law and order.


“An agitated mob forcefully entered the office premises (around 300 of them) at 9:30 am,” the FIR filed by the BDO said. Due to the incident several office staff were also injured.

“After destroying the properties, they set on fire all the broken and torn things inside and outside the office room,” the FIR said. “Official property has been damaged by the agitated mob. Police personnel present at that time to resist the miscreants were also badly injured including the IC, Chakulia Police Station. They were all beaten badly. Office staff present at that time rushed to a nearby hospital for safety,” the BDO said in his FIR. The incident is “unprecedented”, the FIR added.

Jiyarul Rehman, a BLO, said, “I had come here to the BDO office to collect the hearing notice. Everything has been destroyed. The hearing is important.”

The police officials and staff of the BDO office tried to assure the people about the “normal” hearing process but the mob was not in a position to pay heed to it.

It has been learnt that police was requested to undertake an inquiry on this incident and lodge an FIR against the miscreants. CCTV footage captured in the whole incident has been handed over to the police by the BDO, the BDO’s FIR said.

Roads connecting Islampur and Dalkhola were also blocked and tyres burnt. The irate mob burnt trees too.

Following a similar incident in Murshidabad’s Farakka on Wednesday, six people were arrested the same evening.

Meanwhile, former foreign secretary Krishnan Srinivasan has been called for hearing.