A Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) team probing alleged irregularities in the conduct of the University Grants Commission - National Eligibility Test (UGC-NET) examination was allegedly attacked by locals in the Rajauli area of Bihar's Nawada after which four persons were arrested by police on a complaint from the central agency, officials said Sunday, June 23.

The incident occurred on Saturday, June 22 when the CBI team had gone to Kasiyadih village on the trail of a few suspects, they said.

In a statement issued, the office of the Superintendent of Police of Nawada, said, "A team of CBI officials was gheraoed, manhandled and attacked by a group of villagers in Kasiyadih village, under the jurisdiction of Rajauli police station, at around 4.30 pm on Saturday."

"Immediately after receiving the information, a team of police officials led by the station house officer (SHO) of the Rajauli police station reached the spot and pacified the villagers, following which the situation was brought under control," it said. Police registered a case and arrested four persons in connection with the incident.

According to sources, a driver of the CBI vehicle sustained a minor injury in the attack, PTI reported. Further, the local police officials said that the villagers thought that the sleuths were imposters who were falsely claiming to be CBI officials after they reached the village looking for a few suspects allegedly involved in the UGC-NET question paper leak case based on the location of their mobile phone numbers.

A senior police official in Nawada, on the condition of anonymity, said, "CBI officials were looking for a villager, Phool Chand, in connection with the UGC-NET question paper case. They seized two mobile phones from the house of Phool Chand."

FIR lodged

An FIR was filed by the local police against the accused on charges of disrupting government work and assault, among others, officials said in Delhi. The local police arrested four persons allegedly involved in the attack and they have been sent to judicial custody, they said.

Meanwhile, the CBI has asked a Kushinagar-based youth to appear before it in connection with the UGC-NET alleged paper leak case. The youth who was questioned on June 22 at Padrauna police Kotwali in Kushinagar in Uttar Pradesh has been asked to join the investigation at the CBI Headquarters in Delhi today, Monday, June 24, the officials said, as stated in a report by PTI.

The UGC-NET-2024 exam for the selection of junior research fellows, assistant professors and PhD scholars was conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA) on June 18 in two shifts across the country.