At least ten people were arrested after a mob vandalised the office of the block development officer (BDO) in Bengal’s Chakulia on Thursday, as protests against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls intensified in the state.
The violence left a police officer injured and prompted the Election Commission of India (ECI) to issue strong directions to district administrations across the poll-bound state. The unrest in Chakulia came a day after similar incidents were reported from Farakka.
Police officials said most of those protesting in Chakulia had received notices to appear for SIR verification hearings. The agitation began early in the morning, with protesters blocking a state highway at Kahata, leading to major traffic disruptions.
As tensions escalated, a crowd allegedly forced its way into the BDO office, vandalising furniture and electronic equipment, destroying official records and setting parts of the building on fire. An inspector-in-charge present at the scene was injured during the attack, while several staff members were taken to a nearby hospital, police said.
The block development officer later filed a written complaint at Chakulia police station, following which an FIR was registered. According to the complaint, nearly 300 people attempted to enter the office forcibly around 9.30 am.
“Despite police intervention, the crowd broke into the office and caused extensive damage to government property,” a police officer said, adding that preliminary estimates put the loss at around ₹20 lakh.
In response to the violence, security was tightened across the district. “A high alert has been issued across the Islampur police district, and additional forces have been deployed to prevent further flare-ups,” a senior officer said.
Following the incidents in Chakulia and Farakka, the state’s chief electoral officer held discussions with district magistrates-cum-district election officers and senior state government officials. Officials said steps were being taken to identify those responsible for the violence, while additional security arrangements had been made in sensitive areas.
In Farakka, a BDO office was vandalised on Wednesday during protests led by Monirul Islam and his supporters. The unrest led to the suspension of SIR hearings, after which the Election Commission directed the registration of an FIR. Two people have been arrested in connection with that incident.
The SIR exercise, aimed at updating electoral rolls through verification of voter details, has emerged as a major political flashpoint in the state. The ruling Trinamool Congress has alleged that the process is being used to harass sections of the population and selectively target minority voters. The Bharatiya Janata Party, meanwhile, accused the TMC of instigating violence to derail a constitutionally mandated exercise and protect bogus voters ahead of the elections.
