The number of poll-related casualties continued to leap by the phase in the ongoing panchayat poll in West Bengal even as the fourth phase saw at least eight deaths in four districts where elections were held.
Curiously the poll percentage tended to fall by quite a few percentage points as compared to the earlier phases that saw about 80-85 per cent polling on an average. Till 5 pm the four districts of Nadia, Murshidabad, Birbhum, and Malda had witnessed 73 per cent polling on an average State Election Commission sources said. While Nadia recorded 76 per cent polling the figure for Birbhum was 75 per cent. In Murshidabad about 74 per cent voters had cast their votes while in Malda saw 67 a meagre per cent polling.
While three CPI(M) workers were bombed and hacked to death and their bodies thrown in paddy fields in the small hours of Monday at Mayureshwar in Birbhum district three deaths were reported from Murshidabad, a Congress stronghold where two men were killed at Raninagar following massive bombing. Noorjehan, a woman voter, died at Beldanga when she was hit by a bomb thrown by alleged CPI(M) miscreants. At Dubrajpur, a police vehicle was bombed by alleged Trinamool men. Incidentally district party president Anubrata Mondal had in a public rally asked followers to bomb the police vehicles a few days ago.
At Mayapur in Nadia district Khabiruddin Sheikh a CPI(M) worker was allegedly bombed to death by Trinamool men. Another voter was killed when CRPF fired at an irate crowd at Ratua in Malda district sources said. In the same district three children of a Trinamool candidate were grievously hurt when bombs they were playing with went off. While the Trinamool leadership blamed Congress for the attack preliminary findings showed the bombs were stockpiled at the candidate’s house and were mistaken as balls by the victims.
Elsewhere eight people were severely injured in Murshidabad when CPI(M) and Trinamool workers hurled bombs at each other. Violent clashes were reported from Suri in Birbhum where 20 people were hurt when CPI(M) and Trinamool men fought with gun and bombs. With Monday’s toll the number of poll related deaths went up to 35, police sources said. Bengal had been burning with political clashes taking place every day since the past a few weeks ever since the polls were declared. Fifth and final phase of elections in four North Bengal districts are to be held on July 25.
While Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee blamed the SEC for the poll violence saying had her suggestion of single or two-phase polls were heeded so many deaths could have been avoided, the Commission said it was the poor distribution of Central forces that came too late on account of the State’s dilly-dallying with the matter that led to so many casualties.
“Every death is a tragedy,” Banerjee said adding “Election is being conducted by the State Election Commission and not the Government.” However, SEC Secretary Tapas Roy said the Central forces came too late and were not distributed properly by the administration despite the Commission’s instructions triggering clashes. “It was on account of the poor management and lack of area domination that things reached such a pass,” he maintained. Meanwhile, the Commission was writing to the Chief Secretary and the Home Secretary to extend the stay of the Central forces in the State in order to control further violence. “letter is being sent so that the forces could be used to control post-poll violence,” a senior official said.