Bloody conflicts in several areas during the Panchayat elections in West Bengal, 11 deaths
- By IBTN News Bureau --
- 14 May 2018
There were bloody conflicts in many areas during the Panchayat elections in West Bengal, India. Till Monday afternoon, 11 people have died in these clashes. India's Central Home Ministry has sought a report from the West Bengal Government regarding the violence. The number of deaths is expected to increase. During the voting from the morning, the news of violence started to get. At the same time, dozens of people have been injured in different skirmishes.
Police said that a young man trying to enter the polling station in Nadiya district was beaten to death while a Trinamool Congress worker was shot dead in Kultali in South 24 Parganas district. Marxist Communist Party (CPI-M) says that its three workers died in bomb attacks in North 24 Parganas in Amdanga.
Two died in Murshidabad district, while one died in Nadiya. Nadiya district's Inspector General of Police Santosh Pandey said, "On Monday morning, local people beat three youths in the Shantipur area of Nadiya district. The police rescued them and admitted them to the local hospital. One of these was confirmed dead."
"The Trinamool Congress worker Arif Ali Gazi was shot dead in the chest while leaving the polling booth," said Kultali police station officer. The leaders of the CPI (M) North 24 Parganas say that a party worker died in the attack of raw bomb. However, the police have not confirmed this. "We have heard about this incident but it has not been confirmed yet," said an official of the Amadanga police station.
The voting process started in the morning at 7 in the state for Panchayat elections, which continued till 5 pm. During this, 38,616 candidates are face-to-face in the electoral fray. In pre-election surveys, it was estimated that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) would leave behind the Left and the Congress in these elections and emerge as the main rival party in front of the Trinamool.
Statistics show that in the three-phase Panchayat elections, out of 58,692 seats, 20,076 seats have already been elected uncontested candidates. The Supreme Court has asked the State Election Commission not to issue certificates of candidates who have won uncontested.