After he was stopped by the West Bengal police near Amriti on his way to Malda, Communist Party of India-Marxist leader Mohammad Salim accused the state government of hiding the truth.

"Is it a police state? Why the state government is hiding the truth. I was going to meet affected people and my party people at the party office. I was stopped long before I entered Kaliachak," Salim said.

Salim questioned the decision of stopping him even when Section 144 is not in force and he was travelling alone without any convoy, media or security.