#WestBengal panchayat polls: 20 injured; violence reported from at least 4 districts

Voting for panchayat elections is underway across 20 districts of West Bengal. Soon after polling began, over 10 people were injured in a low-intensity blast at a polling station in North 24 Parganas district, NDTV reported.

As per reports, a media vehicle was also damaged in clashes between workers of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and Jami Jibika Protection Samiti in Bhangar in South 24 Parganas. An independent candidate from Nadia district has been shot dead, reports state. More details are awaited.

According to ANI, those injured in Cooch Behar have been taken to MJN hospital for treatment. As per voters, they were attacked by TMC workers.

In another incident, ANI reported that a CPI(M) worker and his wife were charred to death, allegedly by TMC workers.

Reports also stated that voters are being barred from entering polling booths in West Bengal’s Birpara, allegedly by TMC workers.

Reports of sporadic violence have been reported earlier as well. On April 9, a group of journalists covering the filing of nomination papers for panchayat polls in West Bengal’s South 24 Parganas were assaulted. This included reporters and cameramen from The Times of India as well as from The Indian Express. 

According to reports, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has claimed that 14 Trinamool workers have been killed.

Updates:

• NDTV reported that a woman reporter, Amrita Saha, was injured at poll booth number 239 in Raiganj in North Dinajpur district. She is undergoing surgery at Raiganj Hospital. The poll booth has now been abandoned.
• Reports state that bombs were hurled at the police in Howrah’s Uluberia.