The detention of seven judicial officers and the subsequent attack on their convoy in Malda’s Kaliachak have triggered a massive political storm in West Bengal. Union Minister Sukanta Majumdar and BJP leader Dilip Ghosh have strongly condemned the incident, labeling it a complete breakdown of law and order ahead of the 2026 Assembly Elections.

Sukanta Majumdar alleged that the attack on the female magistrates’ vehicles took place even as the Superintendent of Police was present on the spot. “This was a pre-planned road blockade orchestrated by the ruling party,” he claimed. Echoing similar sentiments, Dilip Ghosh pointed out that Kaliachak, being a sensitive border area, has a long history of such unrest. While the police managed to rescue the officials around midnight after hours of protest on National Highway 12, reports of stone-pelting on the judicial convoy emerged. Conversely, locals alleged unprovoked lathi-charge by the police. Coming on the day of Suvendu Adhikari’s high-profile nomination in Bhowanipore, this incident has further intensified the political battle in the state.