Once again in a violence-marred election hundreds of booths were on Monday looted, scores of voters injured, houses set on fire while armed-to-teeth Trinamool Congress cadres went on a rampage in constituency after constituency rendering the second day of the first phase of Bengal polls into a farce of sorts.
Central forces mostly looked the other way despite desperate cries for help from hapless villagers who dared to ignore overnight threats from the ruling party and turned up at the polling booths to vote.
Notwithstanding sporadic violence and bloodshed the 31 seats spread across three districts of Burdwan, Bankura and West Midnapore saw about 74 per cent voting till 4 in the evening.
The amount of violence could be fathomed from the very fact that the office of State Chief Electoral Officer got 1,810 complaints — till 6 in the evening — as against 497 on the first day.
Bombs were hurled at Sonamukhi in Bankura though the CEO office quoting the local SP said it were fire crackers burst to drive away elephants. However, Forest Department sources refused to confirm such reports when contacted by this newspaper.
Polling agents were driven away from booths in many booths like Subhas Pally in Durgapur West seat — where Trinamool goons raided Opposition houses with guns and bombs forcing the agents to withdraw — Jamuria where the Trinamool goons clashed with CPI(M) and BJP workers. In the clash 9 men were injured and 4 went missing police said.
Curiously the Central Forces allegedly did nothing when former Trinamool MlA Md Sohrab entered a booth at Jamuria from where his wife was contesting. Sohrab could not file his nomination as he was convicted of stealing Railway properties. He is currently on bail.
At Saratpally in Durgapur East seat polling agents were driven out from booths number 149,150 and 151, sources said.
The scene was no different at Keshpur once a CPI(M) den. Here a woman polling agent was turned out of the booth under the threat of being paraded naked.
“It was all farce in the name of polling” CPI(M) leader Biman Bose said adding at least 150 booths were captured at Keshpur, 7 booths were captured at Garbeta 13 booths at Kotulpur in Bankura. Booths were also captured at Jamuria, Ghatal, Barabani, Kulti, Pandaveshwar and other places, he maintained.
“The Central Forces do not seem to be under the control of the ECI. It seems there is some foul play. Now if the people directly come out on the streets to preserve their rights the whole Army will be not able to do anything” CPI(M) leader Chayan Mukherjee said adding the apparent nexus between the TMC and the Centre is pushing the people to a corner and “there will be an upheaval.”