Full Breakdown
Rejinagar By-poll: Allegations of Police-led Voter Intimidation and the Arrest of AJUP Chief Humayun Kabir
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event
- Date: October 6 2026 – Rejinagar (Murshidabad, West Bengal).
- What happened: AJUP chief and Nowda MLA Humayun Kabir was arrested after a verbal clash with police at his party office during polling.
- Opposition claim: Police turned away Muslim voters, seized booths, intimidated workers and blocked local journalists’ social-media pages.
Background & Context
- The seat became vacant after Kabir won both Rejinagar and Nowda in May 2026 and kept Nowda.
- His son Golam Nabi Azad contested the by-poll for AJUP.
- The constituency has ?2.57 lakh electors, with 66 % Muslims (2011 census).
- Prior to polling, opposition workers reported police raids, alleged “booth capture,” and Facebook page restrictions on local news outlets.
Timeline
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| Oct 6 2026 | Polling began at 7 am; Kabir voted, then confronted police at the AJUP office and was arrested. |
| Oct 7 2026 | Kabir appeared tearful, hinted at retiring and predicted a BJP victory. |
| Oct 9 2026 (scheduled) | Counting of votes for Rejinagar and Nandigram. |
Data & Statistics
Official Statements & Responses
- Harshal Pancholi, IAS, Election-Commission observer, called the poll “free and fair” after reviewing video evidence.
Criticism & Opposition
- AJUP workers allege police turned away Muslim voters, prevented opposition agents from entering, and used force to capture booths.
- Milan Pradhan (Congress, Nandigram) and Mohammed Salim (CPI(M)) accused the Election Commission of colluding with the BJP-led state government.
- Kunal Ghosh, TMC spokesperson, warned that the BJP was attempting to “capture polling booths.”
On-the-Ground Reports
- Residents at Teghari Primary School saw police stand by as Muslim men were forced away from the queue.
- In Maradighi village, voters reported being denied entry because their booths had been “captured.”
- Journalist Swapan Karikar documented a Facebook block order dated September 29, describing it as a move to suppress reporting on police intimidation.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
- Opposition narrative: Systematic voter suppression, booth capture, and media censorship.
- BJP/administration narrative: Polling was “peaceful” and any disruptions stemmed from Kabir’s violation of the model code.
- No independent observer report has been released, leaving the scale of alleged irregularities unverified.
Verbatim Quotes
- “If Suvendu Adhikari remains the chief minister, I will not go to the assembly.” — Humayun Kabir.
- “The police are intimidating our workers, booth agents and voters.” — Humayun Kabir.