Five killed in poll-related violence in West Bengal

A security person helps a senior citizen to cast her vote during the 4th phase of West Bengal Assembly polls on Saturday. Pic/PTI

Violence erupted in the fourth phase of elections in Bengal in which five people were killed in two separate incidents. Four people were killed when central forces opened fire on an unruly mob in Sitalkuchi assembly constituency in Mathabhanga block of the Cooch Behar district on Saturday. In another incident in the same constituency, a first-time voter was killed, taking the total number of deaths to five. Sources in the Election Commission said that a preliminary report that reached the special police observer Vivek Dubey, suggests that the central forces had to open fire in self-defence.

According to the report, there was tension at booth no. 126 at Amtali in Jor Patki village in Sitalkuchi since morning, and as there were more than 400 people in front of the booth, the forces tried to disperse the mob. When they were trying to move the mob away from the booth, more people started rushing in and tried to snatch their firearms. This prompted the force to open fire, in which four people were killed.

The Election Commission asked for a detailed report from CEO Ariz Aftab. Deputy Election Commissioner in-charge of West Bengal, Sudip Jain, asked the CEO to send a detailed report, including video footage of the incident. Jain also wanted to know what led the force to open fire on the people. The poll body assured of an impartial inquiry into the incident.

In another incident, a first-time voter Ananda Baraman, 18, son of Jagadish Barman of Pathantuli, Golenawhati GP, Sitalkuchi, Cooch Behar died when he was shot from a firearm by unknown miscreants after he cast his vote and came out of the polling booth. He was brought to the local health centre (BPHC) at Sitalkuchi where he was declared dead. His mother was also injured in the incident.

Didi asks for Union Min's resignation
Chief minister Mamata Banerjee sought Union Home Minister Amit Shah's resignation over firing by central forces at Sitalkuchi in Cooch Behar. Appealing to people to remain calm, Banerjee alleged that central policemen shot dead people standing in a queue to vote and demanded that Shah take responsibility for the incident "which is dastardly, cold-blooded and unprecedented". "As BJP knows it has lost the people's mandate, they are conspiring to kill people".

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