72 Arrested After Odisha Villagers Assault West Bengal SIR Officials Entering by Mistake

Two West Bengal officials deputed for Special Intensive Revision (SIR) mistakenly entered a village in Odisha's Balasore district on February 26, 2026. Locals, suspecting them of child abduction, assaulted and confined the officials. Police intervened but faced resistance from the crowd. Seventy-two people have been arrested in connection with the incident. The officials were treated and discharged from a local hospital. Authorities urged residents to report suspicions to police rather than taking action themselves.