Kolkata, Sep 24 (IANS) Aam Janata Unnayan Party (AJUP) Chairman and Nowda MLA Humayun Kabir on Thursday staged a sit-in protest outside the Rejinagar police station in Murshidabad district, alleging that the police were arresting his party leaders and workers to prevent them from campaigning for the by-election.

Kabir sat on a chair outside the main gate of the police station. He accused the police of working for the state’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). He warned that if the situation continued, he would also hold a sit-in protest on the day of the by-election on October 6.

On Thursday, Kabir arrived at the police station in a car carrying a chair. He claimed that workers from other parties were allowed to campaign, while AJUP workers were asked to leave. He alleged that the police in Rejinagar were “brokering” for the ruling party and demanded their removal.

He said he would remain outside the police station until 8 a.m. on Friday, accompanied by a female party leader. Kabir had earlier staged a similar protest outside Shaktipur police station on September 13.

The AJUP founder alleged that police were deliberately arresting several of his party leaders ahead of the by-election. Police arrested Manjur Rahman alias Lebu, Haque Mallick, and Abdul Alim in Rejinagar and Shaktipur between Saturday night and Sunday morning. Mohammad Nasim Sheikh was arrested from Miyagram in Shaktipur. Nasim is known to be close to Kabir. Manjur Rahman’s wife is a member of Beldanga-2 Panchayat Samiti. Haque Mallick is the Rejinagar Block Vice President of AJUP and oversees six regions, while Abdul is the President of Dadpur region. Another person was arrested on Monday.

Kabir said, “The administration is arresting my people arbitrarily. They can arrest me too if they want.”

Kabir has already written to the Election Commission regarding the arrests, alleging that the Superintendent of Berhampore Police District was trying to influence the elections directly.

Kabir had won the 2026 Assembly elections from both Rejinagar and Nowda constituencies, later vacating Rejinagar. The by-election is being held there, where he has fielded his son as the candidate. He alleged that his party was not being allowed to campaign and that the police were working for the ruling party in the state.

–IANS

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