Sporadic Incidents of Violence Reported in Bengal as Polling Underway

Polling percentage in eight Lok Sabha constituencies in West Bengal in the first two hours on Monday was 15.24 amid reports of tension and violence in different pockets, especially from the two constituencies in Birbhum district.

As per the records from the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), the highest polling percentage till 9 a.m. was reported from Baharampur at 16.97, followed by Bolpur at 16.46, Baradhaman-Purba at 15.88, Krishnanagar at 15.67, Ranaghat at 15.31, Birbhum at 14.55, Bardhaman-Durgapur at 14.08 and Asansol at 13.03 per cent.

The police have arrested two persons in connection with the murder of former Trinamool Congress activist Mintu Sheikh at Ketugram in East Burdwan district late Sunday night. The district police have reported to the CEO's office that the arrested persons have been identified as Bhulan Sheikh and Samsur Sheikh, and one of the two is a civic volunteer.

Tension started in front of a booth at Nanur in Birbhum district at the beginning of the polls. The BJP complained of forceful eviction of their polling agent from the booth by the ruling Trinamool Congress activists. The BJP also alleged that armed ruling party activists were threatening the voters there since Monday morning. At Suri, a temporary camp office of the BJP was demolished allegedly by the ruling party activists.

At Barwan under Baharampur Lok Sabha constituency in Murshidabad district, reports of clashes between Trinamool Congress and Congress workers have surfaced. The state Congress president and the sitting party MP and candidate from Baharampur Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said that although the ruling party activists tried to create tension in the area since Monday morning, there was timely intervention by the CEO's office resulting in prompt action by the Central Armed Police Forces personnel.

At Bardhaman-Durgapur Lok Sabha, the BJP candidate and former national vice president of the party Dilip Ghosh started moving from one booth to another in the morning. “This election will mark the end of the game of Trinamool Congress in West Bengal,” he said.

Tension mounted at Kulti under Asansol Lok Sabha, as the CAPF personnel tried to remove Trinamool Congress flags hoisted within 200 meters radius of a polling booth. The forces also asked them to remove the temporary camp office of the party from there.