New Delhi [India], May 26 : In a special operation in West Bengal's Malda district, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Monday arrested 15 protestors in connection with last month's road blockades and illegal detention of judges engaged in a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise of electoral rolls ahead of the Assembly elections in the state.

NIA, which had taken over the investigation on the Election Commission of India's direction after the Supreme Court took suo moto cognisance of the acts, carried out an extensive operation in Malda district yesterday.
A total of 15 persons were apprehended for their involvement in the blockade of roads and the illegal detention of judicial officers on duty in two separate cases.

In one case, 12 individuals, including the main accused, Joshim Sk and Asmaul Sk, were arrested for detaining a lady judicial officer for about 8 hours along the road between Haibatola and Amlitola.

Three other persons, identified as Alamgir Sk, Nurul Islam and Habibur Rahman, have been arrested in connection with the blockade of Bagmara Bridge in Mothabari block.

Investigations to trace the others involved in the incidents are in progress. NIA is trying to unveil the larger conspiracy behind the coordinated blockades and judges' detentions.