Bengal violence death toll rises to 20 as repolling takes place in over 600 booths

Until Sunday, 17 people were killed in election-related violence in Bengal.

TMC worker Maidul Sheikh succumbed to injuries at NRS Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata on Monday. He was injured during a clash between TMC and Congress workers at Raghunathganj in Murshidabad district on Saturday.

On Monday morning, the father-in-law of a CPI(M) candidate, who was beaten up allegedly by TMC workers on Saturday, succumbed to his injuries in Krishnanagar in the state’s Nadia district. Later, TMC worker Sijarul Sheikh, who was beaten up allegedly by Congress workers at Raninagar on Saturday, also succumbed to his injuries.

Meanwhile, the decomposed body of Astha Mondal, the brother-in-law of BJP panchayat candidate Sangeeta Mondal, was recovered from a field at Dhubulia in Nadia district on Monday morning.

According to family members, Astha Mondal had been missing for the last few days. The police said they have started an investigation into Astha Mondol’s death. Suspected to be a victim of the Bengal panchayat election violence, it is yet to be confirmed whether he died in the last couple of days.

On Monday, the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) claimed in a tweet that “goons” of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had brutally attacked its Tamluk town unit president Chanchal Khanra, and set his bike on fire. “It’s outrageous that BJP, which deployed Central forces for maintaining ‘law & order’ during Panchayat elections, is resorting to gross violence, just one day later,” the ruling party said.

The repolling for the West Bengal panchayat elections is underway in 697 booths.

“So far, repolling is being held peacefully,” State Election Commissioner Rajiva Sinha said Monday after arriving at the SEC office.

The voting, scheduled to be conducted until 5 pm, is being held in the presence of central forces, Sinha had earlier said.