West Bengal: Three killed in fresh clashes over panchayat board formation between TMC and CPI (M)

Three people were killed in fresh clashes between Trinamool Congress and Communist Party of India (Marxist) workers over the formation of the panchayat board in West Bengal’s Amdanga on Tuesday night, reports said. The party workers used crude bombs and guns to attack each other. At least 15 people were injured in the clash.

The deceased have been identified as Nasir Haldar and Kuddus Gani, who were reportedly members of the ruling Trinamool Congress, and Communist Party of India (Marxist) worker Muzzafar Ahmed.

The injured are being treated at Barasat in Barrackpore and RG Kar hospital, DNA reported.

A large contingent of police and Rapid Action Force was deployed to the area. The police team seized several crude bombs and arrested at least 10 people. The police officer in charge of the area has been transferred, NDTV reported.

Incidents of violence was also reported in Taraberia, Moricha and Bodai gram panchayat areas, where the formation of the panchayat board has since been suspended, The Indian Express reported.

A panchayat board is set up to govern an area under one gram panchayat in rural areas. While a majority of the boards were created soon after the panchayat results were declared in May, setting up for boards overseeing 20% of the seat was postponed until August after the Supreme Court ruled out a repoll for these seats where the Trinamool Congress had won unopposed.

On Monday, clashes over the panchayat board formation in Purulia and Malda left four people dead. Officials said Damodar Mondal and Niranjan Gope from the Bharatiya Janata Party died in Purulia and Salam Sheikh and Azhar Sheikh from the ruling Trinamool Congress were killed in clashes in Malda. Another death was reported in North Dinajpur. At least eight people have died in the clashes since August 24, NDTV reported.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had claimed a group of people were targeting the state police.