Violence mars polling in West Bengal: 75 per cent turnout recorded; CPM leader’s vehicle attacked

There have been reports of EVM malfunctioning causing delays at several places in Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri and Raiganj constituencies.

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CPI(M) candidate from Raiganj Mohammad Salim’s vehicle was attacked in Islampur. (Source: ANI)

Voting in three West Bengal Lok Sabha constituencies in the second phase on Thursday was marred by incidents of violence, including an attack on CPI(M) candidate Md Salim’s vehicle. The state recorded 75.27 per cent turnout.

Clashes erupted in Chopra Assembly segment when police used force to disperse a group of people who blocked the National Highway 31, claiming they were not allowed to vote. Crude bombs were reportedly lobbed at the police contingent after they had deployed tear gas.

“Police opened fire and RAF has been deployed in the area. The region is still simmering with tension,” a local said.

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Sources told The Indian Express that a few people were not allowed to vote in Middapara and Dighi Colony, and their voting slips were allegedly snatched by some miscreants.

In Raiganj’s Goalpokhe, a journalist working with a news channel was allegedly beaten up by trouble mongers. He received serious injuries and has been admitted at a nearby hospital. In Jalpaiguri’s Malbazar, local BJP leaders accused the TMC of setting fire to their booth camp, an allegation denied by the ruling party.

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In Islampur, CPI(M) candidate Md Salim’s vehicle was attacked and his driver was forced to flee. However, as per reports, Salim is still inside the booth.

“We have received complaints of disturbance from various areas. No trouble maker will be spared,” said a senior CEO official.

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Meanwhile, there were reports of EVM malfunctioning causing delays at several places in Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri and Raiganj constituencies. Deepa Dasmaunshi and Kanhaiya Lal Agarwal, both contesting on Congress and TMC tickets respectively from Raiganj constituency, couldn’t cast their vote on time due to technical glitches in EVMs.

Ravik Bhattacharya

Ravik Bhattacharya is the Chief of Bureau of The Indian Express, Kolkata. Over 20 years of experience in the media industry and covered politics, crime, major incidents and issues, apart from investigative stories in West Bengal, Odisha, Assam and Andaman Nicobar islands. Ravik won the Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Award in 2007 for political reporting. Ravik holds a bachelor degree with English Hons from Scottish Church College under Calcutta University and a PG diploma in mass communication from Jadavpur University. Ravik started his career with The Asian Age and then moved to The Statesman, The Telegraph and Hindustan Times. ... Read More

Sweety Kumari

Sweety Kumari reports from West Bengal for The Indian Express. She is a journalist with over a decade of experience in the media industry. Covers Crime, Defence, Health , Politics etc and writes on trending topics. With a keen eye for investigative and human-interest stories. She has honed her craft across diverse beats including aviation, health, incidents etc. Sweety delivers impactful journalism that informs and engages audiences. Sweety Kumari is a graduate of Calcutta University with an Honors degree in Journalism from Jaipuria College and a PG in Mass Communication from Jadavpur University. Originally from Bihar, she is brought up in Kolkata and completed her education from Kendriya Vidyalaya SaltLake. Multilingual, Sweety is fluent in English, Hindi, Bengali, and Maithili. She started her career as an Entertainment and lifestyle journalist with a newsportal in Kolkata. She is working with The Indian Express for 8 years now. ... Read More