KOLKATA : One person was killed in sporadic incidents of violence reported from various parts of West Bengal’s Kanthi, Tamluk and Bishnupur constituencies in Phase-VI of the Lok Sabha polls on Saturday. State Election Commission sources said 77.9% of voting was recorded by the evening.
A Trinamool Congress worker reportedly died in Mahishadal, Purba Medinipur district, allegedly by unidentified assailants. The EC received 954 complaints by 11 am, predominantly from political parties who alleged EVM malfunctioning and obstructing polling staff from entering booths.
A mob allegedly chased and attacked BJP candidate from Jhargram, Pranat Tudu. A video of the incident showed a mob hurling stones at Tudu and his convoy. His security personnel swiftly evacuated him. BJP sources said when Tudu reached a village at Garbeta, a group of around 200 Trinamool Congress activists, including women, blocked his vehicle. “First, they started shouting slogans and then suddenly, some protesters started throwing stones at his vehicle,” said a BJP supporter.
The attack was so sudden that even the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) personnel escorting Tudu got unnerved initially. The glass window of Tudu’s vehicle was smashed and he received minor injuries on his head. The CAPF somehow escorted him out and took him to a primary health centre where he was provided first-aid.
At Debra under Ghatal Lok Sabha constituency, tension mounted after a CAPF jawan was accused of molesting a local woman. The matter was immediately brought to the notice of the office of the chief electoral officer (CEO), who ordered his immediate removal from election duty. The CAPF jawan has also been arrested by the district police.
In Ghatal constituency, clashes erupted between TMC and BJP supporters, with BJP candidate Hiran Chatterjee accusing TMC of impeding the voting process by preventing their agents from entering the booths. In Midnapore, BJP candidate Agnimitra Paul reportedly faced a hostile crowd of TMC activists, resulting in a scuffle. Former Calcutta High Court judge Abhijit Gangopadhyay faced protest when he arrived at a polling booth in Tamluk.