New Delhi [India], April 3 (ANI): Rashtriya Janata Dal MP Manoj Kumar Jha on Friday condemned the Malda hostage crisis, where seven judicial officers were held by villagers, expressing concern that West Bengal is being pushed toward a cycle of election violence.

Speaking to ANI, the RJD MP asserted that if elections become marred by violence, the nation's leaders must engage in self-reflection. He warned that the damage to national harmony cannot be easily compensated.

'What has happened is concerning, but I am seeing that Bengal is being pushed towards violent elections, and when this happens, the leaders of our country need to look into the mirror. The behaviour of the Election Commission is in itself a matter of concern... ED, CBI were already in their (BJP's) camp. I simply urge that elections should be held in the country every 5 years, but the damage to harmony being caused in the country cannot be compensated,' said Manoj Jha

Meanwhile, a major political storm had erupted in West Bengal as seven judicial officers, including three women, were held hostage by villagers in Malda district on Wednesday.

The standoff was triggered by mass deletions from the electoral rolls under the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process. The incident was part of a broader wave of protests that paralysed Malda throughout the day, as demonstrators staged road blockades across national and state highways and key rural routes in at least five Assembly constituencies.

Following the incident, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has started a probe by registering a 'preliminary enquiry' into the Malda violence case in which thousands of people on Wednesday blocked the two gates of the Kaliachowk-2 Block Development Office (BDO), holding staff, including seven judicial officers ', hostage' for hours before they were rescued after midnight.

The anti-terror agency initiated the preliminary enquiry late on Thursday after the Election Commission of India (ECI) formally referred the matter, sending a letter to its Director General.

The ECI's direction to the NIA came following the Supreme Court's order issued on Thursday, asking the poll panel that 'a central agency, either CBI or NIA' probe the incident, pointing out the attack 'deliberate and calculated' attempt to demoralise the judicial officers and obstruct them from discharging their duty.

The apex court had also mentioned specifically that it cannot be tolerated, and also directed the ECI to seek deployment of central forces for the protection of the officers and their families in the state.

An NIA team is expected to reach Malda at any time today. While the agency has remained tight-lipped, sources indicated that an NIA team had already departed early Thursday from its Kolkata office for the spot.

Upon arrival, the team is likely to first visit the jurisdictional police station to gather all available details related to the incident from the police, which is currently handling the case and has arrested 20 people linked to the incident so far, including Mothabari Indian Secular Front (ISF) candidate Maulana Shahjahan Ali and alleged mastermind Advocate Mofakkarul Islam. (ANI)