Bengal panchayat elections: Death toll in poll day violence rises to 18 as Mamata govt faces criticism
Instances of ballot box theft, bloodshed and stone-pelting were reported from across West Bengal on polling day. TMC, BJP, CPI-M and Congress traded blame for the violence in the state.
As violence and bloodshed raged through West Bengal during the polling day of panchayat elections, the death toll on Saturday has risen to 18, worsening an already volatile situation in the state since the announcement of the polls.
The polling day of the panchayat elections was marked by reports of stone-pelting, bloodshed and ballot box theft. Security personnel was injured after clashes at Falimari in Cooch Behar, among other instances of violence reported from across the state. The ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) had said that it had lost several of its party workers.
Meanwhile, the BJP, CPI-M, Congress and TMC traded blame for the poll-day violence. “CM Mamata Banerjee is responsible for the violence in the state today. Why CRPF was not deployed on the booths. We will go to court along with the family members of the deceased in today's violence and demand a detailed probe into the incident," said BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari.
The BJP also demanded President's rule in West Bengal, alleging that most of the deaths were caused by bullet injuries. West Bengal Congress president Adhir Chowdhury also alleged that the TMC goons were given a free run.
The Border Security Force (BSF) sent a letter to the State Election Commission stating that no information regarding the sensitive booths were shared with them despite knocking the SEC. “Further, the incident of huge violence had taken in the places where the State Police are deployed. If the proper list of sensitive areas would have been provided then the deployment of central forces would have been easier,” BSF said.
West Bengal Governor CV Anand Bose said that the visuals from the ground are disturbing. "What I have seen on the ground is very disturbing, there is violence & murder...one thing I have noticed is that it is the poor people who get killed, the killers are also poor...we should kill poverty but instead we're killing the poor...this is not what Bengal deserves,” he said.
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