The police administration has intensified its crackdown on the Kaliachak violence following strong observations from the Supreme Court. In a major breakthrough, the ‘mastermind’ behind the unrest, AIMIM leader and advocate Mofakkerul Islam, was arrested on Friday morning at Bagdogra Airport. Along with him, another suspect named Akramul Bagani was detained while they were allegedly attempting to flee to Bengaluru.

ADG North Bengal, K. Jayaraman, informed the media that 19 cases have been registered so far, resulting in 33 arrests. He highlighted that viral videos showed Mofakkerul inciting the mob from the roof of a car. Addressing the 8-hour delay in rescuing judicial officers, the ADG admitted the lapse but cited the presence of women and children in the crowd as a tactical hurdle for the police. He further indicated that since the NIA might take over the investigation, the central agency could seek custody of the accused. The police have vowed to deal with any illegal activities with an iron fist and will submit a detailed report to the apex court regarding the incident.