West Bengal Panchayat Election 2023: 11 Killed In Clashes, Bombing In Malda

At least eleven people were killed in election-related violence in West Bengal as voting gets underway on Saturday for the three-tier panchayat polls in the state, which serves as a litmus test for the 2024 parliamentary elections and could reshape the state's political landscape.

Among those killed were six Trinamool members, and one worker each of the BJP, Left, Congress and ISF, and another person whose political identity could not be known, officials told news agency PTI.

Allegations of attempts to loot ballot boxes and attack on voters were made by the ruling TMC and the BJP. Clashes were also reported from other parts of the state.

BJP polling agent Madhab Biswas was allegedly killed in Falimari gram panchayat in Coochbehar district, they said. The BJP alleged that when Biswas tried to enter the polling booth he was stopped by TMC supporters, and as the situation escalated, they killed him. The TMC denied the allegations.

The supporter of an Independent candidate died in Kadambagachi area in North 24 Paraganas district after he was beaten up overnight, police said.

The deceased was identified as 41-year-old Abdullah. He died while undergoing treatment at a local hospital in the morning, Superintendent of Police Bhaskar Mukherjee said. Protesting against the killing, locals blocked the Taki Road in the early hours but they were removed by the police.

"Under the close supervision of Central Forces, the death toll keeps mounting! A devastating bomb attack claimed the life of our party worker in Manikchak, Malda. In Narayanpur-I Gram Panchayat of Nadia, @CPIM_WESTBENGAL hooligans opened fire on our candidate, Hasina Sultana's husband. They hurled crude, country-made bombs at our workers moments before the start of the elections," TMC said in a tweet.

"Shocking and tragic incidents have unfolded the night before which has just started this morning in the Panchayat elections in West Bengal. The BJP, CPI(M) and Congress had colluded together and were clamouring for Central forces. Where is the deployment? Why have the central forces failed to protect the citizens? TMC workers have been murdered, two have been shot at. Those who were asking for deployment, saying that these central forces are the guardians of peace - the guardians have failed, faltered to protect the rights of citizens," West Bengal minister Shashi Panja told ANI.

Sporadic incidents of violence were reported across the state after the election dates were announced on June 8, resulting in the deaths of over 18 people.

Governor hit to streets

Urging the people of rural Bengal to exercise their franchise in the panchayat elections without fail, West Bengal Governor C V Ananda Bose hit the streets since the voting started. He will visit polling booths in several areas of the districts. His first halt was at North 24 Parganas.

Polling began at 7 am on Saturday amid tight security for the West Bengal panchayat elections, in which about 5.67 crore people living in the state's rural areas are eligible to vote. A total of 2.06 lakh candidates are in the fray for elections to 73,887 seats in the three-tier panchayat system in the state.

The West Bengal Panchayat polls are an opportunity for political parties to assess their organisational strengths and weaknesses ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, besides broadly outlining the mood of the state after two years of the TMC government's third consecutive term.