The ruling Trinamool Congress continued to attack the Opposition workers in West Midnapore, Birbhum and other places even as the Central forces reportedly pumped in for area domination and ensure neutral elections looked the other way, victims alleged.
Hundreds of Trinamool goons surrounded the luvpur village of an already burning Birbhum district and attacked CPI(M) households allegedly to teach them a lesson for taking part in election campaign, sources said.
While some injured men had been shifted to hospitals about a dozen CPI(M) men were still lying in the village with broken limbs as the attackers were not allowing them to be taken to hospitals when reports last came in.
“All these happened under the nose of the Central forces who simply looked the other way when the attackers raided our houses looted them and beat us up,” said one of the injured adding “repeated calls to OC luvpur and IC Nanoor went unheard.
A complaint was being lodged with the Election Commission, CPI(M) MP Ritabrata Bhattacharya said. CPI(M) workers who went to cast their votes at Salboni on Monday ignoring threats were also attacked on Tuesday. At least four persons had been hospitalised at Salboni.
Incidentally Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and her other party colleagues had repeatedly threatened from public rallies that the CRPF would be there for three days but “we will be there after the polls making our opponents to account for every inch of their notoriety.”
While the Commission was yet to take action against the erring leaders, the CPI(M) had gheraoed the luvpur Police Station and was threatening to go for bigger agitation.
Following in the footsteps of Banerjee Birbhum Trinamool strongman Anubrata Mandal had openly challenged the ECI saying “what medicine the Commission will apply for Birbhum I do not know but I take desi Ayurvedi medicine and use that during the polls.”
Mandal had reportedly locked up about 450 polling agents of the other parties and got 400 votes rigged for each booth giving his party candidate a lead of 80,000 votes in 2014 General elections. This was made public thanks to the Narada expose where State Minister Bobby Hakim was caught revealing the victory formula to a party MlA.
The Opposition is going to the Commission seeking a redressal, sources said.