Malda Gherao case: Alleged mastermind Mofakkarul Islam arrested at Bagdogra airport

New Delhi: West Bengal police on Friday arrested a lawyer accused of masterminding the persecution of seven judicial officials in Malda district.The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) detained Mofakkarul Islam from the Bagdogra airport near Siliguri while he was allegedly trying to escape, PTI reported. He is considered a key accomplice in the Kaliachak affair.The controversy stems from an incident on Wednesday when a mob surrounded seven judicial officers for several hours during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral roll in Malda. The situation escalated after allegations of mass deletion of voters’ names.Security forces eventually intervened, using batons to disperse the crowd and safely evacuating officers, including three women, late at night.The protests also spread to National Highway 12, a key route from Kolkata to Siliguri, which was blocked by demonstrators demanding action against the alleged purge of voter lists.The Bharatiya Janata Party has accused the ruling Trinamool Congress of orchestrating the protests and inciting the mob, but the latter has yet to formally respond to the accusation.