Kolkata: Widespread violence was seen at 108 civic bodies that went for polls on Sunday.
From North to South 24 Parganas to North Bengal sporadic violence were seen across all municipalities leaving several police, voters and even media personnel injured.
At South 24 parganas’ Joynagar, opposition claimed that in order to intimidate the voters some unknown person was firing so that they vote for the ruling party.
North 24 Parganas’ Kamarhati area turned into a battlefield after several fake voters were identified and the Left Front and BJP leaders claimed that the sitting Kamarhati MLA Madan Mitra was instrumental in sending false voters.
The oppositions also alleged that few men in motorcycle allegedly hurled bombs in an apparent bid to terrorize voters. The local people vandalized police vans and few motorcycles and demanded free and fair election.
Mitra however, had blamed police for ‘failing’ to maintain law and order.
In Murshidabad’s Behrampore TMC staged agitation in front of Congress state president Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury’s vehicle claiming that Chowdhury is visiting several booths and is ‘forcing voters to vote for his party.
Fresh new violence were seen also in the evening at Behrampore after few women were allegedly ‘assaulted’ inside the polling booth and were also denied to cast their votes.
EVM machines were smashed at several places at Murshidabad, Bhatpara and Rampurhat and polling at some wards were also suspended for few hours following sporadic incidents of clashes between the Trinamool Congress supporters and opposition cadres.
Seven people were arrested in three booths in Dhuliyan after they were seen with some crude bombs which were later seized by the police.
In North Bengal’s North Dinajpur Congress supporters blocked NH-12 at Dalkhola and pelted stones at police after they alleged that TMC supporters had rigged few booths there.
In north Barrackpore tyres were burnt blocking National Highway due to the alleged atrocity of the TMC supporters and leaders.
BJP MP Arjun Singh was seen slapping a person after he alleged that he could not cast his vote due to alleged TMC goons.
Some journalists were also injured while covering the violence. One such incident took place at Contai in East Midnapore district.
However, DG of the state police Manoj Malviya claimed that the polling till the end was around 76. 5 per cent and also that the polling was ‘peaceful’.
“The state election commission was constantly in touch with us and wherever we have seen any chaos we have taken steps. As per the instruction of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee we were active and monitored the wellbeing of voters,” said Malviya.
