KOLKATA : Sporadic incidents of violence erupted from various parts of Kanthi, Tamluk, West Midnapore and Bishnupur constituencies in during the sixth phase of Lok Sabha elections on Saturday.
The Election Commission has received 954 complaints by 11 am, predominantly from political parties alleging malfunctions in Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and obstruction of polling agents' entry into booths.
In the Ghatal constituency, clashes erupted between supporters of the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), with BJP candidate Hiran Chatterjee accusing TMC of impeding the voting process by preventing the entry of their booth agents.
Somendu Adhikari, BJP candidate from Kanthi constituency said that incidents of violence have been reported from various parts of Kanthi constituency and accused the TMC and the central forces of assaulting voters.
In Midnapore, BJP candidate Agnimitra Paul faced hostility from TMC activists, resulting in a scuffle later dispersed by central forces.
Former Calcutta High Court judge and BJP candidate Abhijit Gangopadhyay, who came under severe criticism for his sexist remarks against CM and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee faced protest upon arrival at a polling booth in Tamluk. BJP candidate and Union Minister Subhas Sarkar encountered demonstrations during a booth visit in Bankura.
According to TMC candidate Tamluk Debangshu Bhattacharya, at Sonachura in Nandigram, a TMC poll agent was beaten up by BJP workers and the poll booth was captured by the party. He complained that in several areas of Nandigram, poll agents were not allowed to enter.
Tragically, the pre-poll tension turned fatal with the reported killing of Trinamool Congress worker Sheikh Moibul in Mahishadal, Purba Medinipur district, allegedly by unidentified assailants.
According to the Election Commission till 6 pm, 77.9 per cent of votes have been polled.