West Bengal panchayat polls: 3 shot dead as violence continues on last day of filing nominations

West Bengal panchayat polls: As many as three persons were shot dead and several others were injured in West Bengal on Thursday, the last day to file nominations for the panchayat polls scheduled to be held on July 8. Two persons were killed at Bhangore in South 24 Parganas district, around 30 km from Kolkata, while another youth was gunned down by miscreants at Chopra in Uttar Dinajpur district, around 50 km from Siliguri, in the northern part of the state, police said.

Several incidents of clashes were reported from different parts of the state as the police had a harrowing time controlling the situation. The violence triggered a political slugfest between the opposition – CPI (M), Congress and BJP -- and the ruling TMC, with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee accusing the opposition of trying to malign the state by orchestrating the violence.

Supporters of  Left-INC 

CPI(M) state secretary Md Salim said they were supporters of the Left Front and the Congress, and the incident happened when they were going to the Chopra block office for filing nominations. Salim alleged that the TMC was behind the attack.  "Activists and candidates have been fired upon by TMC goons just now in North Dinajpur's Chopra block. Left-INC supporters were going to Block office for filing nomination #PanchayatElection2023," he tweeted.

After being shot, the three persons were taken to the district hospital where one of them died during treatment, officials said. The conditions of the other two persons were critical, they said. State Election Commissioner Rajiva Sinha declined to comment on the incident, saying that he was yet to receive a report regarding it. The ruling TMC dismissed the allegation.

Violence in West Bengal

West Bengal continued to witness electoral violence today as clashes were also reported from the South 24 Parganas and Birbhum districts of the state during the last day of the filing of nominations for the upcoming Panchayat polls scheduled to be held on July 8.

Violence erupted at the Sainthia's Block Development Office (BDO) in Birbhum's Ahmadpur in West Bengal.  The unrest was also reported in the South 24 Parganas district. However, as per the officials, no casualties have been reported in the incident.

As per the news agency ANI, crude bombs were also been hurled in the area. Police have also detained a few people involved in the clash. Meanwhile, a heavy security force have been deployed in South 24 Parganas district on the last day of nomination.

CPI(M) behind violence

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee accused the opposition parties of trying to malign the state by orchestrating violence while filing nominations for the panchayat polls. Talking to reporters outside a party office at Maheshtala near here, Banerjee, also the Trinamool Congress supremo, asserted that those who "were on-performers" have been denied tickets by the party this time.

"Opposition parties are trying to create disturbances by orchestrating violence while filing nominations. They are doing it to tarnish the state's image. The CPI(M) is behind today's violence in the Chopra area (in Uttar Dinajpur district), and ISF is attacking our party workers in Bhangore (South 24 Parganas)," she said.

Banerjee also slammed the BJP-led central government for stopping the due funds for the state and using central agencies to threaten the TMC. Violence has rocked various parts of Bengal for the last week over the filing of nominations for the panchayat polls.

Calcutta HC orders deployment of central forces within 48 hrs

The Calcutta High Court on Thursday directed the State Election Commission (SEC) to requisition and deploy central forces across West Bengal for the July 8 panchayat elections in the state. The court noted that no appreciable steps have been taken ever since an order was passed by it on June 13 to deploy central forces in sensitive areas for the poll process.

Petitioners had prayed for the deployment of central forces for ensuring peaceful elections, claiming that the state had witnessed large-scale violence during municipal elections in 2022 and Kolkata Municipal Corporation elections in 2021. Opposition parties have been alleging that the ruling Trinamool Congress supporters resorted to violence to prevent their candidates from filing nomination papers.

Polling for nearly 75,000 seats in the three-tier Panchayati Raj system will be held on July 8.

(With agencies input)