KOLKATA: West Bengal witnessed sporadic incidents of violence during the civic polls in 108 municipalities across the state. Bullet was fired, bombs were hurled indiscriminately and stones were pelted targeting police. A police officer received bullet injury in North 24 Parganas after miscreants opened fire and two other men in uniform were injured in brickbat. injures in the violence. The police lobbed tear gas shells at many places.
The BJP and the CPI(M) accused the ruling Trinamool Congress cadres of flexing muscles. The BJP called for a 12-hour strike on Monday in protest against the violence. The TMC, however, announced that they would take out protest marches in every block across the state in protest against BJP’s bandh.
Altogether 797 persons were arrested on the basis of specific complaints. ‘’Other than a few stray incidents, the civic polls were conducted peacefully by the police,’’ said director general of police Manoj Malviya.
Expressing his concern, governor Jagdeep Dhankhar asked the state election commissioner to brief him on Monday.
"State Election Commissioner Shri Saurab Das has been called upon to brief Guv anytime before 10 am tomorrow in view of alarmingly disturbing inputs, depicting scenario of violence and lawlessness, with administration in in partisan mode and systemic failure #SEC," Dhankhar tweeted.
A clash between the supporters of the TMC and the CPI(M) broke out at Kamarhati municipality area in North 24 Parganas after the ruling party allegedly brought outsiders in a vehicle with a board written police on it. A contingent of police personnel rushed to the spot and suddenly a bullet came from the crowd which hit the right leg of assistant sub-inspector Jayanta Biswas.
In Murshidabad’s Dhulian and Garulia in North 24 Parganas bombs were hurled when the TMC and CPI(M) supporters clashed. A police officer was injured at Dhulian when the violent supporters pelted stones. Another policeman was injured at Jagaddal.
At many places independent candidates, who were denied tickets by the TMC, was waylaid and manhandled allegedly by the TMC supporters.
"At many places our agents were assaulted. The ruling party is scared because they know that a considerable number of vote share, which went to the BJP in recent previous elections, will return to our fold in this civic polls. We secured second position in the recent elections in five municipal corporations," said a CPI(M) leader.
TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh said the allegations laid down by the Oppositions were baseless. ‘’The BJP and the CPI(M) are frustrated and labelling false charges against our party to cover their weakness,’’ he said.