Clashes in Bengal during final phase voting; EVM vandalised, crude bombs hurled

Kolkata: Incidents of violence were reported from several areas in West Bengal during the seventh and the final phase of Lok Sabha voting on Saturday, leaving several people injured, police said. 

Clashes were reported from Satulia, Bhagabanpur, Nalmuri and Fulbari areas in Bhangar. Bhangar is an assembly seat under the Jadavpur Lok Sabha seat in the southeastern fringes of Kolkata.

“At least six persons were injured in a clash which broke out on Saturday morning ahead of the polls. We have arrested two persons,” said a senior police officer in Kolkata.

At Kultali in South 24 Parganas irate villagers looted and dumped an EVM and VVPAT machine in a pond, alleging intimidation by Trinamool Congress (TMC) workers.

The election commission officials in Kolkata, however, told media persons that the voting process was not hampered as those were reserve machines kept in the vehicle of the sector officer.

In a post on X, the election commission said, “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 has been looted by local mob and 1 CU, 1 BU, 2VVPAT machines have been thrown inside a pond. Sector Police was a little behind. FIR has been lodged by Sector Officer and necessary action has been initiated. Poll process in all six booths under the Sector is running uninterrupted. Fresh EVM and papers have been provided to the Sector Officer.”

An official said that there has been heavy deployment of security forces across the state and voting is being done peacefully in most of the areas. 

“Voting was going on peacefully with sporadic incidents of violence. There were no major untoward incidents. There has been a heavy deployment of security forces. We have sought reports from the district authorities. Till around 9am the voter turnout was around 12.6%,” the official said.

Locals, however, claimed that clashes broke out between workers of the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Indian Secular Front (ISF). Violence was reported in Satulia, Bhagabanpur, Nalmuri and Fulbari areas in Bhangar.  

People also claim that crude bombs were hurled in Satulia on Friday night. “There has been indiscriminate bombing in Satulia since last night. We could hear deafening noises of crude bombs being hurled. Even in the morning, some villagers saw unexploded bombs lying on the roads,” a villager told local media persons On Saturday morning.

At Nalmuri police had to resort to lathi charge to disperse the mob after a brief spell of brick batting.

Tension sparked off in Sandeshkhali on Friday night as villagers alleged that police had come to the Bermajur village to harass and intimidate voters. They were chased away. Police, however, rubbished the allegations.

Polling is being held in nine Lok Sabha seats in Kolkata, South 24 Parganas and North 24 Parganas in the last phase. Around 967 companies of central armed police forces and more than 30,000 state police personnel were deployed. Around 3,700 booths were declared sensitive.   

Till around 9am the highest voter turnout was reported from Basirhat – 15.6%. Kolkata North reported the lowest turnout – 8.92%.

Even though the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had made deep inroads in the state in 2019 and had won 18 of the 42 seats, the TMC had wrested all the nine seats in the three districts of south Bengal where polling is scheduled on Saturday.