Violence rocks Bengal's panchayat polls, 12 dead amidst allegations of strong-arm tactics

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Ravi Shankar Prasad on Saturday said over 12 people have lost their lives so far in the violence that broke out in several areas in West Bengal on panchayat poll day. "Violence has broken out in full swing in the Bengal gram panchayat elections being held today. More than 12 people have died so far and a large number of them have been injured," BJP MP Prasad said.

(with inputs from ANI)

"Lot of arms and ammunition have come to Bengal...most of the deaths were due to bullet injuries, who has sent these weapons here and who funded it, so there should be an NIA probe into this...many poor people died in the violence, what was Police doing?...this must be probed by CBI...": Suvendu Adhikari, West Bengal LoP on violence. 

Section 144 should be imposed in the violence-affected areas and CAPF should be deployed on all the booths. Today we are wearing black bands as it is Black Day for democracy. We demand CBI, and NIA  probe after today's incident. I will ask the State election commissioner to direct CM Mamata Banerjee to compensate Rs 50 lakh to the deceased. The total death toll after today's violence is 19: West Bengal LoP Suvendu Adhikari

Kolkata: "Democracy has been wiped off...we demanded the examination of CCTV visuals and repolling in areas where there was violence and CCTV was not working...": Suvendu Adhikari, West Bengal LoP after visiting state election commission office.

The ruling TMC on Saturday accused the Opposition of orchestrating violence during the panchayat polls in West Bengal, while asserting that the party will emerge victorious in a majority of the seats when the votes are counted on July 11. Dismissing allegations of the state administration letting loose a reign of terror, state minister Bratya Basu claimed that it is the Trinamool Congress which has been at the "receiving end of the violence perpetuated by the opposition".

The CPI(M) accused the State Election Commission of enacting a farce in the name of holding panchayat elections in West Bengal on Saturday. The CPI(M) also blamed the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) for the 12 deaths on the polling day. Alleging that loot took place during the polling, CPI(M) central committee member Sujan Chakraborty said that it, however, did not succeed in all places as it is 2023 and not 2018 when the rural polls was a one-sided affair for the ruling party.

West Bengal Pradesh Congress president Adhir Chowdhury on Saturday "congratulated" Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee for winning the just-concluded violent rural polls. Addressing a press conference in Berhampore in Murshidabad district, Chowdhury termed the polls "peculiar". "Congrats Didi, you have won the panchayat elections," he said. "'Aapni jite gechen' (you have won)," he said, adding sarcastically that Banerjee’s injured leg will be fine on the counting day on July 11 and she will come out of her home and thank people for making her victorious in the polls.

The BJP lashed out at the TMC government in West Bengal over the violence in Panchayat polls on Saturday, saying it considers "murders" as its guarantee to power and that the state's "bomb culture" is shaming India and its democracy the world over. Hitting out at Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Union minister Anurag Thakur said she cannot preside over an election in the state "without killings and chaos". "How low will she stoop to establish her party's dominance in the panchayat polls," he asked.

"Many people have died during the panchayat polls voting. CM Mamata Banerjee and state election commissioner reduced the panchayat elections to a joke," said West Bengal BJP leader Agnimitra Paul.

Union Minister Anurag Thakur on Saturday questioned the "silence" of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and other opposition leaders over the “murder of democracy” in West Bengal after violence marred panchayat elections in the state. “The declaration of panchayat polls in West Bengal is akin to the start of murder of democracy. Beating up people, bomb blasts, and setting things afire become common occurrences,” said Thakur, a senior BJP leader.

West Bengal: "One person is suspected to be dead and yet to be declared by the doctors. The bomb hit the victim's head...," said Dibakar Das, Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) on the alleged blast at Phul Malancha bolling both in South 24 Parganas

"...The governor made the biggest mistake by appointing Rajiva Sinja...It is 3 pm & over 15 people have died, they were killed by TMC goons...Centre should intervene with either Article 355 or 356...we want action from custodian of constitution..." said West Bengal LoP & BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari on West Bengal Panchayat elections violence.

"The ruling party's incoherence with the police administrations...has unleashed a rain of terror in an unprecedented way, which has taken a toll on 26 people and hundreds of people are fatally injured have been admitted to the hospital already. The political and electoral environment in Bengal has been of violence...It is a travesty of panchayat elections and virtually it is an example of electoral depredations...," said West Bengal Congress president Adhir Ranjan Chowdhary on Panchayat poll violence

A booth agent of an independent candidate and a polling agent of a BJP were allegedly killed in two separate violence-related incidents during voting for single-phase panchayat elections in West Bengal on Saturday. The booth agent of an independent candidate was allegedly killed in Piragachha of North 24 Parganas district as per reports. 

(with inputs from ANI)

Residents of Dhamsa in Hooghly throw two ballot boxes in a pond allegedly after scuffle between TMC and BJP workers at a polling booth. The residents allege that Central forces were not deployed at the centre.

Amid incidents of violence during voting for the Panchayat election across the state, workers of West Bengal BJP protest outside the State Election Commission office in Kolkata.

Women voters gather in Bardhaman's  'pink booths'

Around 22.60 percent turnout has been observed till 11 am in the West Bengal Panchayat elections.

Reported by Manish Bhattacharya

Voting was suspended at Indreshwar primary school in Dinhata after water was thrown into the ballot box.

An unidentified man ran with a ballot box in Cooch Behar district of West Bengal. READ MORE 

A Ballot box at a polling booth in Baranachina of Dinhata in Cooch Behar district was set on fire allegedly by voters who were angry with bogus voting that was reportedly going on.

West Bengal LoP and BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari cast his vote for the panchayat election at a polling booth in Nandigarm.

Aushgram in East Burdwan was heated by political heat even before the panchayat polling started. Several people from both sides were injured in the Trinamool-CPM clash there on Friday.  CPM worker Rajibul Haque (32) was seriously injured.  He died on Saturday morning at NRS Hospital in Kolkata.  Rajibul was injured in the Trinamool CPM clash at Booth No. 7 of Bishnupur Primary School of Block No. 2 Aushgram on Friday.  First he was admitted to Burdwan Medical College Hospital.  He was shifted to NRS late at night as his condition worsened.  He died there.

BJP state chief Sukanta Majumdar alleged that 'TMC hoologanism crossed all limits' and that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee along with the Chief Electoral Officer of the state were "responsible" for murders.

TMC workers allegedly destroyed the polling booth and restrained the locals from voting at Barasat's Jhikra FP School polling booth. The miscreants also reportedly stole ballot boxes.

TMC and Congress workers over jumping of queues by some voters at Booth No. 23 in Kolabedia area of Domkal. 

"A TMC goons hurled a bomb at my agent and killed him," said a BJP candidate. 

"Shocking and tragic incidents have unfolded the night before which has just started this morning in the Panchayat elections in West Bengal,"  said Bengal minister Shashi Panja. 

Three of our party workers have been murdered in Rejinagar, Tufanganj and Khargram and two have been left wounded from gunshots in Domkol. West Bengal BJP, West Bengal CPI(M) and West Bengal Congress have been clamouring for the deployment of Central Forces. So, where are the Central Forces when they are needed the most?

A 52-year-old TMC worker, Sateshuddin Sheikh killed in Khargram of Murshidabad. His body has been brought to a hospital for postmortem. Meanwhile, a Congress worker, Phoolchand was killed during the nomination process for Panchayat election here in Khargram and Governor CV Ananda Bose met his family here yesterday.

A voter, Govind says, "There is no Central force here. Booth capturing keeps happening here by TMC. They do bogus voting even in the name of the deceased. We won't allow voting here unless Central forces come here..."

Voters queue up at a polling station in Basanti of South 24 Parganas district amid rainfall as they await their turn to cast a vote.

Independent candidate shot dead in Cooch Behar. 

On his way to a polling booth in Basudebpur of North 24 Parganas, Governor CV Ananda Bose stopped by a few CPI(M) candidates as they share their various issues with him.

A polling booth in Cooch Behar's Sitai was vandalised while ballot papers were set on fire.

Further details are awaited.

Visuals from a polling booth in Dinhata, Cooch Behar.

Voting on a total of 63,229 gram panchayat seats, 9,730 panchayat samiti seats and 928 zilla parishad seats began early morning on Saturday.