Aam Janata Unnayan Party chief Humayun Kabir was detained by police on Tuesday during polling for the Rejinagar Assembly bypoll in West Bengal's Murshidabad district. The action followed a heated argument between Kabir and police personnel at his party office.
Polling for the Rejinagar and Nandigram Assembly bypolls began at 7 am on Tuesday amid tight security arrangements. Kabir had been raising objections to the deployment of police personnel in and around the constituency since the beginning of polling.
According to reports, Kabir criticised the presence of security personnel near his residence and at several polling stations. He also alleged that police personnel were intimidating voters and his party workers. These allegations were made by Kabir during interactions with the media and were not independently established in the reports.
Kabir cast his vote with his family after polling began. He subsequently went to the AJUP party office in Rejinagar. Police personnel were also present in the area following his repeated statements regarding the security arrangements.
A heated exchange then took place between Kabir and the police. According to police officials and media reports, Kabir was not permitted to approach polling booths because he was neither a candidate nor an authorised polling agent. Kabir, however, alleged that the police were acting against his party workers and interfering with the electoral process.
The situation escalated into a confrontation, following which police personnel detained Kabir and took him to a police vehicle. Later reports said that he was arrested in connection with alleged violations during the election process. Beldanga Sub-Divisional Police Officer Anandajit Hore confirmed that Kabir had been taken into custody.
A video of the confrontation also circulated on social media. Reports showed police personnel taking Kabir towards a vehicle after the argument. Kabir was heard alleging that the police were acting in a partisan manner and attempting to influence the voting process. Police, however, maintained that action was taken in connection with alleged violations of election-related rules.
The Rejinagar bypoll has attracted considerable attention because of the political contest involving several parties. The AJUP has fielded Kabir's son, Gulam Nabi Azad, as its candidate. Other candidates include BJP nominee Sakharav Sarkar, Trinamool Congress candidate Rabiul Alam Chowdhury, rival Trinamool candidate Safiuzzaman Sheikh, Congress candidate Mohammad Abdullahil Kafi and CPI(M) candidate Syed Asad Ali.
The Rejinagar Assembly seat became vacant after Humayun Kabir won both Rejinagar and Nowda in the 2026 West Bengal Assembly election and chose to retain Nowda. The vacancy resulted in the need for a bypoll in Rejinagar. Kabir had won the Rejinagar seat by a margin of nearly 59,000 votes in the Assembly election, according to election-related reports.
The current bypoll is therefore particularly significant for the AJUP, which is attempting to retain the seat through Kabir's son. The contest also involves the BJP, the Trinamool Congress, a rival Trinamool faction, Congress and the CPI(M).
The detention of Kabir has added another point of political tension to the election. Kabir has alleged that the police presence was being used to put pressure on voters and party workers. The police action, however, was linked by officials to alleged violations of election rules and Kabir's conduct during polling.
The Election Commission and security authorities have deployed personnel across the polling areas as part of the arrangements for the bypoll. Polling in Rejinagar and Nandigram is being conducted under heightened security, with officials monitoring the process.
The incident involving Kabir has also drawn attention because it occurred while voting was underway. Election authorities generally restrict the movement of individuals who are not candidates or authorised polling agents around polling stations in order to maintain order and ensure that voters can exercise their franchise without interference.
Following his detention, reports indicated that Kabir said he would continue his political activities through social media. Several cases were also reported against him and party leaders in connection with the developments surrounding the polling process.
The Rejinagar bypoll will be closely watched as part of the wider political developments in West Bengal following the 2026 Assembly elections. The result will indicate the level of support for the parties contesting the seat and will also be significant for the AJUP, which is attempting to retain the constituency after Kabir vacated it.
For now, the key development remains the detention and subsequent arrest of Humayun Kabir following the confrontation with police. While Kabir has alleged police interference and intimidation, authorities have linked the action to alleged violations of election-related rules. The final assessment of the allegations will depend on the official proceedings and any further action by the election and law enforcement authorities.
