VIOLENCE MARS BENGAL RURAL POLLS 12 killed, more than 40 injured; around 73 per cent cast vote
At least 12 people were killed and 43 injured on Monday in violence during the West Bengal panchayat polls, where around 73 per cent of the electorate had cast their votes at the end of balloting hours at 5 p.m.
The State Election Commission said the polling percentage was 73 at the end of voting hours, though the numbers would go up since 4.5 lakh voters were still queued up across the state.
“We have, so far, received telephonic complaints of six deaths. We are awaiting written confirmation from authorities on the death toll,” State Election Commission Secretary Nilanjan Shandilya told IANS.
A youth was beaten to death as he tried to enter a polling premises in Nadia district while a Trinamool Congress activist was shot dead in South 24 Parganas district’s Kultali, police said.
The Communist Party of India-Marxist claimed one of their activists was killed in bomb attacks in North 24 Parganas district’s Amdanga.
Three deaths were reported from Murshidabad while two were killed in East Midnapore’s Nandigram. Two persons lost their lives in Nadia and North Dinajpur districts.
“Three youths were beaten up by locals in Nadia district’s Shantipur area on Monday morning. Police rescued and got them admitted to a local
hospital. One of them, Sanjit Pramanik, succumbed to his injuries,” Nadia district Superintendent of Police Santosh Pandey told IANS.