West Bengal panchayat poll: Death toll rises to 12
Kolkata, May 14 (IBNS): The death toll in the violence-marred West Bengal panchayat (rural) polls, which were conducted in a single phase on Monday, has risen to 12, according to media reports.
According to a local channel, the latest victim, who reportedly belongs to Jharkhand Disom Party, of the poll violence was from Gangarampur, South Dinachpur district of the state.
The deceased workers and supporters are from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the CPI-M and the Trinamool Congress (TMC).
A CPI-M worker and his wife were charred to death after their house was set on fire in South 24 Parganas, reports said.
In North 24 Parganas, a CPI-M worker was killed during clashes while two others received injuries.
A Trinamool Congress (TMC) supporter and a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) worker died in South 24 Parganas and Murshidabad respectively.
While the votern turnout was 41.51 percent till 1 pm, widespread violence, including bombing and and efforts of booth capturing by political goons, were reported across the state since morning.
In Cooch Behar district, 20 people were injured in a low intensity blast at a polling booth.
Violence was reported from Howrah and already clash-hit Bhangar in South 24 Parganas as well. Earlier on Friday, a supporter of an independent candidate was shot dead in Bhangar area.
There were reports of violence from several other disctricts like Jalpaiguri, Malda, Nadia and West Midnapore where at Bikalchak of Keshpur a teenaged girl was hit by an arrow.
An independent canddiate supporter was shot dead in Murshidabad's Nawda. He has been identified as Shahi Shekh, according to a TV report.
However, in many places the police acted swiftly and brought the situation under control, reports said.
Protesting against the violence, Congress staged agitation near State Election Commission office in south Kolkata on Monday afternoon.
Police detained several Congress workers from the area.
Under the shadow of violence, people are voting to elect 38,616 representatives across rural West Bengal.
Voting began at 7 am on Monday. More than 71,000 armed personnel are manning the booths.
Amid tight security, long queues could be seen outside polling booths in several districts of the state though unabated violence also singed the polling process in the state.
The key battle in the state is expected to take place between the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Results of the poll will be declared on May 17.
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