Six more persons have been killed in separate incidents of election-related violence in West Bengal over the past two days, The Indian Express reported.
Panchayat elections in the state, for which voting took place on July 8, have been marred by widespread violence despite the deployment of central security forces by a Calcutta High Court order last month. At least 45 people have been killed in the state since the polls were announced on June 8, according to The Indian Express.
Incidents of destruction of ballot boxes and intimidation of voters were also reported in some areas of the state. Repolling was held at 696 booths across the state on July 9 after the polling process was declared void due to allegations of violence and electoral malpractices.
The ruling Trinamool Congres has emerged victorious in the polls after winning over 35,000 gram panchayat seats out of the 63,219 gram panchayat seats. The Bharatiya Janata Party has won nearly 10,000 seats, while the Left-Congress alliance gained victory over approximately 6,000 seats, according to PTI.
Also Read: Why are rural elections in West Bengal so violent?
On Tuesday night, three persons, including two supporters of the Indian Secular Front, were allegedly killed in police firing near a counting centre in Bhangar in South 24 Parganas district.
An unidentified police official told The Indian Express that the incident took place when supporters of the Trinamool Congress allegedly asked an Indian Secular Front candidate to concede defeat in the election, even as the result of the seat was to be announced.
Indian Secular Front supporters subsequently gathered outside the counting centre and hurled crude bombs, in response to which the police reportedly opened fire.
Those killed were identified as Razaul Gazi and Hasan Mollah. One more person, Raju Mollah, also died in the violence.
“We have sought a detailed report from the Baruipur Superintendent of Police and the district administration of South 24 Parganas,” an unidentified official of the State Election Commission said, according to The Indian Express. “We can only confirm whether the police fired at the mob or not after we get the report.”
A 24-year-old Congress worker was killed in Rampur village of Malda after a clash broke out between the supporters of his party and the Trinamool Congress, PTI reported.
Two workers of the Trinamool Congress – Tariqul Sheikh and Biplab Halder – were also killed in Malda and South 24 Parganas. While Sheikh died after miscreants hurled a bomb at the party’s victory rally, Halder was killed allegedly by workers of the Bharatiya Janata Party – a charge denied by them, according to The Indian Express.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday said that she was saddened at the loss of lives in the violence, according to ANI.
She announced that a compensation of Rs 2 lakh will be given to the families of those killed. “I am giving a free hand to the police to act against those behind the violence,” the chief minister said.
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