Polling is underway for nine Lok Sabha constituencies in West Bengal during the seventh phase of elections on Saturday. The day has been marred by reports of violence and unrest across various areas.
In the Jadavpur constituency near Kolkata, clashes erupted between supporters of the Indian Secular Front (ISF) and the Communist Party of India (Marxist). The confrontation led to several injuries among ISF members and was exacerbated by the presence of country-made bombs.
Democracy is up in flames in West Bengal. Bombs have been hurled in Jadavpur’s Bhangar, irate villagers in Joynagar’s Kultali have thrown an EVM and VVPAT machine in a pond because TMC goons won’t let them vote…
But the worse affected is Diamond Harbour, where Mamata Banerjee’s… pic.twitter.com/csCl6ExQlj— Amit Malviya (मोदी का परिवार) (@amitmalviya) June 1, 2024
In Kultali, South 24 Parganas district, an angry mob stormed polling stations, seizing an Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) and throwing it into a nearby pond. This incident followed allegations that polling agents were barred from entering the booths, prompting local residents to retaliate by discarding the EVM, which was equipped with a Voter Verified Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT).
“Today morning at 6:40 am, reserve EVMs & papers of Sector Officer near Benimadhavpur FP school, at 129-Kultali AC of 19-Jaynagar (SC) PC, were looted by a local mob and 1 CU, 1 BU, 2 VVPAT machines were thrown inside a pond,” stated the Chief Electoral Officer of West Bengal.
“An FIR has been lodged, and necessary action has been initiated. Poll process in all six booths under the Sector is running uninterrupted with fresh EVM and papers provided.”
Attempt to capture Booth 271 in Diamond Harbour (West Bengal) foiled by vigilant people… Mamata Banerjee’s nephew is scared of losing. pic.twitter.com/UdTJ4Gz1hz
— Amit Malviya (मोदी का परिवार) (@amitmalviya) June 1, 2024
Tensions also flared in Sandeshkhali under Basirhat Lok Sabha late Friday night, continuing into the early hours of polling. Local women, armed with bamboo sticks, protested against alleged threats from Trinamool Congress (TMC) activists and state police. They accused associates of the now-suspended TMC leader Sheikh Shahjahan, currently imprisoned, of intimidating their families. State police claimed the unrest began after local BJP supporters assaulted civic volunteers.
In Diamond Harbour, the stronghold of TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, clashes occurred between TMC and BJP supporters. BJP candidate Abhijit Das accused TMC of malpractices, which the TMC denied.
In Ganguly Bagan in Jadavpur, CPI(M) workers were allegedly assaulted by TMC activists, and their camp offices were ransacked. TMC denied the allegations, accusing CPI(M) of voter intimidation.
Further tensions were reported in Canning, South 24 Parganas district, where clashes erupted between TMC and BJP supporters within the precincts of Itkhola Gram Panchayat. Stone pelting was reported, resulting in injuries to media personnel.
Leader of Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, and BJP IT cell chief Amit Malviya shared videos of the protests, accusing Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of using party goons and state police to intimidate voters.
In Bhangar, further clashes between TMC and All India Secular Front (AISF) activists injured a woman AISF activist. Additionally, the vehicle of AISF candidate Nur Alam Khan was vandalized, allegedly by TMC supporters.
Polling for the nine Lok Sabha seats in West Bengal, including Dum Dum, Barasat, Basirhat, Jaynagar, Mathurapur, Diamond Harbour, Jadavpur, Kolkata Dakshin, and Kolkata Uttar, began at 7 am under stringent security measures and will continue until 6 pm.
Prominent candidates in this phase include Abhishek Banerjee from Diamond Harbour, BJP’s Rekha Patra from Basirhat, and CPI(M)’s Sujan Chakraborty from Dum Dum. The polling is being conducted under heavy security, with 1,020 companies of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) deployed, 978 of which are on polling duty, and 1,960 quick response teams (QRTs) addressing any tensions statewide.
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