Sporadic violence, repeated bombings, exchange of gun and arrowshots leading to several injuries, attacks and heckling of rival candidates — in four districts that went to polls — marked the eighth and final phase of Bengal Assembly elections on Thursday which saw a little more than 76 per cent of voters casting their votes till 5 pm when reports last came in.

Notwithstanding the stray violence the State saw a brisk polling in 35 seats across four districts that went to polls on Thursday. While the polling percentage in Birbhum was 82 percent, it was 78.07 per cent in Murshidabad. Malda saw 80.06 per cent polling while Kolkata lagged behind with about 58 per cent voters casting their votes. The polling rate was likely to go up as many voters were still standing in queues when reports last came in.

Bengal tended to vote briskly despite reports of stray violence coming from various places. Kader Mondal a CPI(M) supporter was allegedly crushed to death by speeding vehicles driven by alleged Trinamool Congress men at Domkal in Murshidabad district in the small hours of Thursday, sources said, adding two more persons Lal Chand Mondal and Al Mamoon were badly injured in the incident. The incident took place after the two sides clashed hours before the polling started.

Clashes also broke out at various other places at Domkol where alleged TMC men shot arrows at the rival party workers, Left sources said.

There were reports of violence from various parts of Birbhum district. At Bolpur the vehicle of BJP candidate Anirban Ganguli was attacked when he went to find out the veracity of booth jamming at some booths in Ilambazar area.

At Nanoor BJP candidate Tarakeshwar Saha was assaulted by alleged TMC men and his vehicle damaged sources said. However the Trinamool leadership dubbed the allegations as baseless. In the same constituency the BJP polling

agents were badly beaten and turned out of their booths, sources said.

Back in Kolkata the State capital witnessed intermittent violence in the northern part of the city which went to polls on Thursday. Bombs were hurled at Mahajati Sadan and Jorasanko area following which 6 TMC men were arrested, police said.

Elsewhere, BJP candidate Kalyan Choubey was repeatedly heckled by alleged Trinamool men at Beliaghata and Manickulla, party sources said. He is contesting against TMC leader and Minister Sadhan Pandey. The security of Choubey was later beefed up.

Former Kolkata Deputy Mayor and BJP candidate Meena Devi Purohit alleged that bombs were hurled at her vehicle by the TMC supporters.