Bengal Panchayat Polls: 12 Killed, Ballot Boxes Smashed, Kids Injured As Voting Ends Amid Widespread Violence

Among places that reported maximum violence were Murshidabad, Nadia and Cooch Behar districts, apart from pockets in South 24 Parganas such as Bhangar and in Purba Medinipur’s Nandigram

New Delhi: At least 12 people were killed, bombs hurled and several vehicles torched as the high-stakes panchayat elections in West Bengal concluded amid widespread violence on Saturday, news agency PTI reported. Apart from violent clashes, ballot boxes were destroyed and polling booths were captured in several parts of the state. Till 3pm, 50.52 per cent voter turnout was recorded, as per PTI.

According to PTI, those killed in poll-violence were six Trinamool Congress (TMC) members, and one worker each of the BJP, CPI(M), Congress and ISF, and another person whose identity could not be ascertained.

The polling began at 7 am in 73,887 seats in the rural areas of in Bengal with 5.67 crore people deciding the fate of around 2.06 lakh candidates. Among places that reported maximum violence were Murshidabad, Nadia and Cooch Behar districts, apart from pockets in South 24 Parganas such as Bhangar and in Purba Medinipur’s Nandigram, PTI reported.

Ballot boxes were destroyed and ballot papers were set on fire at a booth in Baravita Govt Primary School in Cooch Behar’s Dinhata. At another booth in Barnachina area, locals set a ballot box along with ballot papers on fire, as they alleged false voting.

In another incident, two children were injured in South 24 Parganas district as they picked up a crude bomb from the roadside while thinking it to be a ball.

Incidents of protests were also reported in various areas demanding deployment of central forces. In Nandigram, female voters surrounded a police officer with bottles of poison, demanding central force be stationed in the area.

Amid unrest, several voters in Murshidabad alleged they were not allowed to vote. Later, they were escorted to a polling booth by the police.

Governor CV Ananda Bose visited various areas in North 24 Parganas and met the injured people.

"People requested me to stop my motorcade on the way. There were a lot of tales to tell, they told me about murders happening around them, goons not allowing them to go to polling booths, and also about presiding officers not listening to them. These are stray cases but even one incident of bloodshed should cause concern to all of us," PTI quoted Bose as saying.

"This is the most sacred day for democracy. These are stray incidents but there should be a stop to it," he added.