A damaged bust of Mahatma Gandhi, charred almirahs, chairs, tables, air-conditioning machines, computers and fans, partially burnt files related to SIR, Kanyashree, Awas Yojana and mid-day meal service lay scattered in the aftermath of the mob violence and arson at the block development officer’s (BDO) office of the Goalpokher-II block in Chakulia, North Dinajpur, on Friday.
Rooms with blackened walls and broken glass — except the BDO’s chamber, which was spared — remained empty as no employees turned up at the office.
Police personnel stood guard at the premises and some cleaners removed the debris.
In Kahata, where the BDO office is located, no fresh incidents of violence were reported on Friday. Although shops and markets were open, public movement was minimal. Later in the day, police officers conducted a route march to maintain security.
A source said that Sujoy Dhar, the BDO, paid a brief visit to the office on Friday morning.
Violence erupted on Thursday as a section of people alleged that they had been called for a “second hearing” during the ongoing special intensive revision (SIR) of the electoral roll.
Around 300 irate residents marched to the BDO office in protest of the purported harassment. The situation escalated when the police stopped them from entering the premises.
The protesters attacked the police personnel and stormed into the BDO office. They vandalised the rooms and set the documents and furniture on fire. A Trinamool party office nearby was also ransacked.
Additional police forces brought the situation under control.
The SIR hearings were suspended in the BDO office on Firday. Several people who had turned up were forced to return.
Chandan Singh, a resident of Balsarpur, said he travelled nearly nine kilometres after receiving a notice due to a spelling error in his sister-in-law’s name.
“We have been waiting for two hours. There is no one here. We don’t know where to go,” he said.
Subodh Biswas from Sehar village was also wandering in the office premises, carrying land deeds and documents. “I will come tomorrow again,” he said.
Ankita Agarwal, the SDO of Islampur, said: “In view of yesterday’s (Thursday) incident, SIR hearings were suspended today(Friday) at the Chakulia BDO office. Arrangements are being made to resume the process from tomorrow (Saturday).”
A source in the BDO office said employees in charge of projects like mid-day meal and Kanyashree have expressed their concern that documents and computers have been reduced to ashes.
“They don’t know how to access the lost data and the applications filed by beneficiaries and local school authorities,” said the source.
The North Dinajpur district administration sent a report to the chief electoral officer’s office.
The BDO filed a complaint at the Chakulia police station, which mentions that the attack caused a loss of around ₹20 lakh. Sarafat Ali, the Trinamool president of Goalpokher-II block, also lodged a police complaint regarding the damage to the party office
A police source said that 19 people have been arrested in connection with the incident so far. Among them, 15 were arrested based on Dhar’s complaint and four others in connection with Ali’s complaint.
They were all produced at a court in Islampur today.
“Among the 15, three were sent to six days of police custody, while the remaining 12 have been sent to judicial custody for 14 days. For the other case, all four have been sent to police custody for three days,” said a source.