KOLKATA: Hundreds of villagers, mostly CPI(M) supporters, who had initially decided to stay away from voting due to alleged threats and violence, were escorted by Central forces to a polling booth in Murshidabad district’s Domkal Assembly constituency on Thursday, where they cast their votes.
They had been panicked since Wednesday night after several of their neighbours sustained bleeding injuries during a political clash and decided not to go to the polling booth fearing fresh attacks.
On Thursday, they changed their decision after the Election Commission of India (ECI) assured them of the deployment of Central forces to escort them from their village to the polling booth so that they could vote and return home safely.
The incident occurred in Raipur village, under the Domkal Assembly constituency, considered one of the most sensitive polling areas in West Bengal with a history of poll-related violence causing loss of life.
Several hundred villagers, mostly belonging to CPI(M), alleged that Trinamool Congress workers had been unleashing terror in the area since Wednesday to prevent them from leaving their village to vote.
Ansar Ali, a CPI(M) supporter, alleged that Trinamool Congress men attacked some of their party workers on Wednesday night with swords and threatened others in the village at gunpoint.
Villagers, including women, alleged in fear, “The Trinamool goons will kill us if we dare to go to the booth to cast votes. We won’t vote this time if adequate security forces are not given to escort us to the booth.”
“We are feeling deeply insecure, and they can attack us at any time, even when we return to our homes. There were no Central force personnel in our village despite them attacking our male members last night. We demand the administration send Central forces here as soon as possible,” the panicked women villagers told the media.
The Election Commission of India took prompt action soon after news channels telecast the incident. With the deployment of Central Armed Paramilitary Force (CAPF) personnel, the villagers reached the polling booth and cast their franchise.
The national poll body has sought a report following allegations by villagers that Left supporters were prevented from casting their votes in Domkal, with fingers pointed at the Trinamool Congress.
A section of CPI(M) supporters alleged that they were earlier obstructed from voting in the Raipur area. There were also allegations that Central forces initially remained inactive and that adequate assistance was not provided by the state police.
Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) Shubham Bajaj visited Booth No. 217, where the alleged obstruction was reported. He, however, denied claims of inaction by Central forces.
Later, Trinamool candidate Humayun Kabir, a retired IPS officer, also visited the booth, where he faced protests from a section of voters.