Unbridled violence and booth capturing rocked Kolkata municipal corporation elections on Saturday that saw scores of people including a police officer seriously injured after bullets were fired — even as complaints of rigging, bombing, gunfights and molestation poured in from all corners of the city.
In most cases, the ruling Trinamool Congress mounted attack on resilient voters and Opposition workers who tried to hold their grounds. The ferocity of attacks by the Trinamool goons saw the poll percentage dip by about 10 per cent or so, experts said. Recorded percentage of polling when it ended at 3 pm was just about 59 per cent as against a normal 68-70 per cent.
As part of a two-phase exercise, elections for Kolkata corporation were held on Saturday. Polls for the remaining 91 municipalities will be held on April 25. About 40 per cent of State's voters would cast their votes in the civic elections ahead of the next year's State polls.
Bringing back the dreaded memory of a police officer being gunned down by the Trinamool goons during a college election at Garden Reach two years ago, police sub-inspector Jagannath Mondal was shot at by Trinamool gangsters while he was trying to stop a Congress-TMC clash.
The incident happened at Singhi Bagan School near Girish Park area in North Kolkata. The officer was fighting for his life as the bullet had hit the left side of his chest and he was being operated upon when reports last came in.
In a separate incident, three shots were fired on the car of CPI(M) leader Dr Fuad Halim who is also the son of world's longest serving Assembly Speaker HA Halim. Former State Sports Minister Kanti Ganguli and his son Samya Ganguli also received injuries. Reports of firing came in from Bagha Jatiin, Park Circus, Chowrunghee, and Raja Bazar areas.
Alleged TMC backed criminals hurled bombs to scare away voters at Kashipur, Burrabazar, Rajabagan, Garden Reach, Narkeldanga, Belgachia, Tangra, Metiabruz, Beniapukur, New Garia and other areas. Most parts of the city went into the grip of criminals who rode on bikes openly brandishing guns in many places, sources complained.
While violence had been a regular feature of Bengal polls in the recent past, criminals tended to target women for the first time, a section of policemen said adding how women voters in many places were molested as "warning against venturing out to vote in future."
Notwithstanding attacks on the people and cops, Commissioner of Police S Karpurakayastha said, "Stray incidents of violence have been reported" adding he had no information on any police officer receiving bullet injuries.
His views were however contradicted by State Election Commissioner SR Upadhyaya, a State cadre officer whom Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had earlier "superimposed on his IAS colleagues to supervise the elections" much to the chagrin of the Opposition parties.
Such were the ferocity and frequency of attacks that Upadhyaya, who was highly criticised for his pro-Trinamool bias, also conceded, "Depending upon the information and complaints I received throughout the day, the atmosphere was not ideal for voting."
Repolling might be considered in some booths after he received full reports from the Observers, he added saying complaints of violence and booth capturing were reported from about 60-70 booths.
Allegations poured in from all sides even as the police looked the other way, Meena Devi Purohit BJP candidate and former Kolkata Deputy Mayor said. She was forcibly kept confined in a room for long hours by the Trinamool men. Houses of the BJP candidates were raided at many places by Trinamool goons but "repeated complaints fell on deaf ears" State BJP leadership said demanding repoll in Kolkata in presence of Central forces.
"This is a farce in the name of polls and we have not seen similar election after 1972" Opposition leader and CPI(M) State secretary Suryakanto Mishra said.
Adhir Chowdhury MP and Pradesh Congress president said, "Mamata Banerjee has shown India how administration can be used to rig polls."