New Delhi [India], April 3 (ANI): Calling the Malda violence 'unfortunate and condemnable,' Samajwadi Party MP Awadhesh Prasad on Friday held the central government responsible for the incident, while also alleging that the Election Commission of India is no longer impartial or independent.

Speaking to ANI, Prasad said, 'The Malda violence is unfortunate and condemnable. This is the government's strategy to end democracy. In the last monsoon session, our leader Akhilesh Yadav, along with all the MPs of our party, was prepared to meet the Election Commission. But the Election Commission did not think it was right to meet. Our country's Election Commission is neither impartial nor free. The central government is entirely responsible for this incident.'

Earlier, a major political storm 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. (ANI)