On the morning of Friday, October 19, 2012, the government announced that a police officer of Pakistani origin had been killed by a homemade bomb in the village of Eker.

"[4] In the wake of the alleged explosion, the government deployed police in SUVs and armored vehicles to Eker, and sealed off all routes leading to and from the village.

Checkpoints were set up at various locations, and security forces carried out house raids, arresting at least 7 people, who the Ministry of Interior (Bahrain) claims may have been involved in the alleged explosion.

[5] Bahraini human rights activists stated that the raids carried out against citizens' houses are unlawful, and the arrests are arbitrary and without reasonable grounds.

[10] Al Wefaq and other licensed opposition parties, including National Democratic Action Society (Waad), Ekhaa, Qawmy, and Wahdawy, collectively announced that they will send a joint delegation to Eker on the morning of Sunday, October 21, 2012, to try and peacefully break siege of the village.