Violence mars Assembly polls in West Bengal, Assam
Guwahati/ Kolkata, April 11
Violence marked second phase of the keenly contested assembly elections of both Assam and West Bengal as one person was reported killed in clashes between security forces and voters in Assam’s Sorbhog contituency in Barpeta district.
Assam and West Bengal both recorded 71 per cent voting until 3 pm.
As voting went underway in Assam, an 80-year-old man, identified as Abdul Rashid, was killed during a fight that broke out after some men of the Central Reserve Police Force stationed at Safarkamar polling station in the district told voters to follow line discipline. Two security men and another voter were injured in the scuffle.
Some security men were fired at a polling station in Nagarbera constituency, Additional Chief Election Officer Assam Nitin Khade said.
“We received reports about violence in some places. According to preliminary reports, one person died due to lathicharge by the CRPF at a place near Barpeta Road under Sarbhog constituency,” he said.
Save for a few incidents, polling was by and large peaceful across the 61 constituencies, he said.
Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh cast his vote in Guwahati at the Dispur Government High School but his wife, Gurcharan Kaur, also a voter of Dispur constituency, but his wife did not.
"I think people of Assam will reward the Congress party for the good work it has done for the people of Assam in last 15 years," said Singh, while walking up to the waiting mediapersons in the school campus.
Asked about the Bharatiya Janata Party's allegation that he had not done anything for Assam when he was the prime minister, Singh said: "I do not want to counter what the prime minister had said about me. But he (Prime Minister Narendra Modi) also knows that what he has said is not true." Strict security measures had been put in place at the Dispur Government High school since Monday morning.
Some 1,04,35,277 voters eligible to cast their ballot in the second phase to decide the fate of some 525 candidates.
Crude bombs mark voting in West Bengal
Election Commission sources here said West Midnapore registered 76 per cent, Bankura over 70.80 per cent and Burdwan nearly 68 per cent polling till 3 PM.
A crude bomb was hurled in Bankura district by unidentified men this morning but there were no casualties.
Two bags carrying bombs were also found in Jamuria district.
Meanwhile, unidentified men were also seen walking about with loaded pistols in their hands.
Earlier in the day, five people were injured in a clash broke out between rivals Communist Party of India (M) and the Trinamool Congress in Jamuria, where one victim is said to be critical.
One of the CPI (M) workers, who got injured in the incident, alleged that three to four workers of the TMC thrashed them with lathis.
“They started beating us with lathis. The police did not come as we were being beaten,” he said.
Sources in the Election Commission said West Midnapore registered 76 per cent, Bankura over 70.80 per cent and Burdwan nearly 68 per cent polling until 3 pm.
In another incident, a CPI (M) polling agent was hospitalised after being allegedly attacked by TMC workers at a polling booth in Chandrakona.
Some 163 candidates will be contesting in the second phase of one of the most close-watched between the ruling TMC, BJP and the Left-Congress combine candidates.
Those whose fate would be decided on Monday include state BJP president Dilip Ghosh, former WBPCC presdient Manas Bhunia, state minister Malay Ghatak, actor Soham Chakrabarty besides Mishra.— Agencies
