Hostage Crisis in Malda: Judicial Officials Gheraoed for 8 Hours Over Voter Deletions

On Wednesday, April 1, 2026, Malda district of West Bengal witnessed a major protest. This protest was basically due to deletion of nearly 1.35 lakh (135,000) people during SIR process. This nearly 1.35 lakh (135,000) people fount out their names were wither deleted or put “on hold” in specifically Sujapur area. In this situation, people felt they were being unfairly stopped from voting, which led to a massive, angry protest. The unrest caused major disruptions, with demonstrators blocking National Highway 12 (Kolkata-Siliguri) at Sujapur and other key roads for several hours, demanding the reinstatement of their voting rights. The blockade was lifted only after an Additional District Magistrate assured protesters that eligible names would be restored within four days.