Bengal polls: 57 percent turnout till 1 PM, one killed in violence

While 44.14  percent voter turnout was recorded in North Kolkata, 58.74 percent voting was reported in Burdwan. Nadia recorded a turnout of  60.07 percent and Murshidabad 58.06 percent.

Election Commission sources said an overall 57.21 percent votes were cast till 1 pm.

Incidents of violence were also reported.

Official reports said  Tahidul Islam, a CPI(M) polling agent, was shot dead by miscreants at Shiropara under Domkal constituency of Murshidabad district. 

CPI(M) candidate from Domkal, Anisur Rahman, accused the Trinamool Congress of murdering Islam, 35, and alleged that ruling party men had captured several booths in the constituency. 

The Election Commission has sought a report on the incident from the state's Chief Electoral Officer.

Reports of stray incidents of  bombing, assault and intimidation reached  from few other areas of  Murshidabad and also from  Nadia's Gayeshpur and  Bardhaman's Ketugram and Raina.  Allegations of Left-Congress combine voters being intimidated also came from Kolkata's Belgachia-Cossipore and Beliaghata constituencies.
 
 Meanwhile, as controversy erupted in poll-bound West Bengal on Thursday morning regarding TMC leader Anwar Khan's comments about slapping the Election Commissioner, the police have registered an FIR against him, according to reports.