One die, 8 hurt in civic poll violence in Bengal

One person died and eight were injured in sporadic violence during today’s municipal corporation elections to 79 wards in West Bengal. Election Commissioner Ajay Sinha, however, said polling was ‘‘peaceful and satisfactory’’.

Additional Director-General (Law and Order) Chayan Mukherjee said, ‘‘ In all 214 people were arrested. We had to fire four rounds of ammunition, one round in Budge Budge and three in Noapara, to keep situation under control.’’

The main political parties traded charges of violence. ‘‘The elections were fair and good, though one member of the CPI(M) was killed today,’’ said CPM state secretary Anil Biswas.

The Congress claimed it was the CPI(M) which had captured polling booths.