Anti-Terror Agency Officials Attacked, Their Vehicle Vandalised In Bengal

A team of the anti-terror agency National Investigation Agency (NIA) was attacked during a raid in Bengal's East Midnapore district this morning. The incident happened in East Midnapore's Bhupatinagar area, leaving one NIA officer injured.

The NIA team had arrived at Bhupatinagar to conduct a raid as part of the ongoing investigation over a bomb blast case that rocked the region in 2022. 

As they commenced their search operation, they were suddenly confronted by a hostile mob. The situation quickly escalated as the mob launched an assault on the NIA officers, resulting in damage to property, including the breaking of a vehicle's windscreen.

According to the police, the NIA team had earlier in the day arrested two individuals linked to the bomb blast case and was en route to Kolkata when their vehicle was besieged by locals. The villagers reportedly surrounded the vehicle and launched a barrage of stones, resulting in injuries to one NIA officer.

"Locals gheraoed the vehicle and pelted stones at it. The NIA has said one of its officers was also injured," a senior police official said, as quoted by news agency PTI. 

Following the incident, a large police contingent was dispatched to the scene to bring the situation under control.

The backdrop of this incident traces back to December 3, 2022, when a devastating explosion killed three individuals in a kutcha house in Bhupatinagar. Subsequently, the NIA took charge of the investigation of the case.