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Aam Janata Unnayan Party (AJUP) founder and chief Humayun Kabir was arrested by police in West Bengal’s Rejinagar on Tuesday while voting was underway in the Assembly by-polls, hours after he accused police of interfering in the polling process.
Kabir’s son, Gulam Nabi Azad, is contesting the Rejinagar seat as an AJUP candidate.
According to the police, Kabir went to his party office in Rejinagar around 8am, where he had an argument with police personnel deployed there. He later approached a polling station but was stopped by police, who told him that he was neither a candidate nor an election agent and therefore could not go near the booth.
Kabir accused the police of acting with bias and alleged that his party workers, booth agents and voters were being intimidated.
“The police are looting votes. I will not allow this,” he told reporters, according to The Indian Express.
Police subsequently detained him and took him to a vehicle before formally arresting him.
Beldanga Sub-Divisional Police Officer Anandajit Hor confirmed Kabir’s arrest but said further details would be provided later.
Kabir had earlier faced multiple cases filed by police against him and his party leaders. He had said he would campaign from home through social media to avoid further confrontations with police.
The arrest took place as voting continued in Rejinagar and Nandigram in West Bengal, amid heightened political tensions and allegations by opposition parties and candidates concerning police action and the conduct of the polls. Results are scheduled to be announced on October 9.