Isolated incidents of violence marred the sixth phase Lok Sabha polls in West Bengal on Saturday even as the Election Commission recorded a 78 per cent average polling till 5 pm from eight constituencies.
“About 77.99 per cent average polling has been recorded till 5 pm. Polling has been peaceful with one or two incidents of violence being reported from some constituencies,” said a senior EC official.
Meanwhile, the highest voter turnout was recorded in Tamluk (79.79 per cent) followed by Kanthi (75.66 per cent), Ghatal (78.92 per cent), Jhargram (79.68 per cent), Medinipur (77.57 per cent), Purulia (74.09 per cent), Bankura (76.79 per cent) and Bishnupur (81.47 per cent) constituencies.
Incidents of violence
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In most of the incidents of violence, BJP candidates faced protests from villagers and Trinamool Congress (TMC) workers. In one of the incidents, BJP’s Jhargram candidate Pranat Tudu sustained injuries after being attacked by villagers in Garbeta.
“The TMC instigated people to attack my vehicle. When I had gone to check reports of some irregularities, I was chased away by the villagers. Stones were hurled at us. I have been injured. One of my security personnel is bleeding from his head. I will take this up with the Election Commission,” Tudu said after the attack.
The TMC, however, denied the allegations and said Tudu and his security force personnel assaulted a woman voter in one of the polling booths.
“We have to first see why people chased them away. He instigated violence in the area after he and his security personnel beat up a woman who was standing in a queue to cast her vote. We strongly condemn such violence against women. We will lodge a complaint against the BJP candidate with the Election Commission,” state minister Chandrima Bhattacharya said.
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A clash broke out between workers of the TMC and the BJP at Keshpur in Ghatal after BJP candidate Hiran Chattopadhyay’s convoy was stopped by villagers. The convoy was stopped after family members of TMC workers staged a protest, alleging that BJP workers had beaten up TMC activists and demanded an apology from Chattopadhyay.
As a huge contingent of police rushed to the spot to end the protest, a verbal altercation ensued between the two parties. Later, BJP workers clashed with TMC activists which forced central force personnel to use batons to disperse the mob. Later, TMC workers burnt tyres on the road to mark their protest against the central force personnel.
“The TMC is not letting any polling agents sit (at the polling station). The police are working with the TMC. Police, central forces and TMC are trying to defeat me. But we have full faith in the voters,” said Chattopadhyay. “The TMC is trying to stop me from visiting polling booths. They do not want the truth to come out. Central forces too are not taking action to lift the protest,” he added.
Meanwhile, BJP Tamluk candidate and former Calcutta High Court judge Abhijit Gangopadhyay sat on a dharna in the Mayna area protesting alleged police action on the personal secretary of local BJP MLA Ashok Dinda. He also alleged that local BJP leader Gautam Guru has been missing since Friday night.
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Earlier in the day, a group of people had shouted slogans against Gangopadhyay when he reached the polling booth in Tamluk. A large contingent of security personnel was deployed to bring the situation under control and disperse the crowd.
Later, a similar incident took place in Haldia where chants of ‘Go Back’ and ‘Thief’ were raised against him. Gangopadhyay was seen losing his composure and entered into a verbal altercation with a section of voters. “They do not have the courage to organise a protest against me. If protests are held, then we will break their bones,” said Gangopadhyay. Later, CRPF personnel dispersed the mob from the area.
Earlier, BJP candidate from Medinipur Agnimitra Paul also faced protests from the people at Kismat Angua in Bonpura village. She was also seen entering into a verbal altercation with voters.
Meanwhile, Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari, after casting his vote at Kanthi, said that there were reports from some of the booths of TMC intimidating voters but the BJP had ensured security for its candidates and workers.
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“Scattered reports of intimidation and removal of BJP’s polling agents have reached us from early morning but be rest assured BJP has ensured tight security in almost 90 per cent of the important booths this time,” said Adhikari.
Meanwhile, seven people were injured in the Dantan area of West Midnapore district following a clash between TMC and BJP workers. Workers from both parties clashed with bamboo poles and sticks.
At Saltora in Bankura district, BJP candidate Subhas Sarkar faced protests from a section of voters. After facing resistance, Sarkar left the area.
