Election violence kills five in West Bengal

At least five people were killed in election-related violence in India’s West Bengal state on Saturday, a police official and political leaders said, the deadliest day so far in multiphase voting there.

Violence first broke out when two unidentified men on a motorcycle fired at a queue of voters, killing one person, the police official said.

Four people died near another polling booth when security forces opened fire to control unrest among voters, as people shoved and pushed duty police officers, said the official.

Dola Sen, spokeswoman for the state’s ruling Trinamool Congress, said the death toll had gone up to eight as others who had been injured died later on Saturday.