Bengal Panchayat Polls: Vehicles Torched In Birbhum As Violence Escalates In State Amid Voting — Watch
Amidst the voting in West Bengal Panchayat elections, many vehicles were set on fire after violence broke out in the state’s Birbhum district.
Amidst the voting in West Bengal Panchayat elections, many vehicles were set on fire after violence broke out in the state’s Birbhum district on Saturday. At least 11 people were killed in election-related violence in West Bengal since midnight as voting was underway on Saturday for the three-tier panchayat polls in the state, officials said, as reported by the news agency PTI. Among those killed were five Trinamool Congress members, and one worker each of the Bharatiya Janata Party, CPI(M) and Congress, and the supporter of an Independent candidate, they said. Besides violent clashes that injured several people, ballot boxes were destroyed in at least two polling booths, they added.
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The polling began at 7 am in 73,887 seats in the rural areas of the state with 5.67 crore people deciding the fate of around 2.06 lakh candidates. Till 11 am, 22.6 per cent voter turnout was recorded. Governor CV Ananda Bose visited different areas in North 24 Parganas district, and met people injured in the violence and interacted with voters. BJP polling agent Madhab Biswas was allegedly killed in Falimari gram panchayat in Coochbehar district, they said.
The BJP alleged that when Biswas tried to enter the polling booth he was stopped by TMC supporters, and as the situation escalated, they killed him.
The TMC denied the allegations. The supporter of an Independent candidate died in Kadambagachi area in North 24 Paraganas district after he was beaten up, police said.
The deceased was identified as 41-year-old Abdullah Ali, as reported by PTI. He died while undergoing treatment at a local hospital in the morning, Superintendent of Police Bhaskar Mukherjee said. Protesting against the killing, locals blocked the Taki Road in the early hours but they were removed by the police. A TMC worker was killed in Murshidabad district's Kapasdanga area overnight in poll-related violence. The deceased was identified as Babar Ali, officials said. Another TMC worker was killed in the district's Khargram area. He was identified as Sabiruddin Sk.
The TMC also alleged that its booth committee member in Tufanganj 2 panchayat samiti in Cooch Behar, Ganesh Sarkar, was killed in an attack by the BJP. The brother of a TMC leader was killed in a clash with Congress supporters in Malda district, police said, as reported by PTI. The incident happened in Jisharattola in Manikchak police station area. The deceased was identified as Malek Sheikh, they said.
The TMC also alleged that one of its workers was killed in Nadia's Chapra. A Congress worker was allegedly killed in Murshidabad's Rejinagar police station area in election-related violence. He was identified as Yasmin Sk. CPI(M) worker Rajibul Hoque was critically injured allegedly in an attack by TMC supporters in Purba Bardhaman district's Aushgram 2 block. He died in the morning while undergoing treatment at a hospital.
Incidents of destruction of ballot boxes and intimidation of voters were also reported from some areas. In Cooch Behar district's Dinhata, ballot boxes were vandalised and ballot papers were set on fire at a booth in Baravita Govt Primary School. At another booth in the Barnachina area, locals torched a ballot box along with ballot papers, alleging that false voting was done, PTI reported.
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