Ferocity in 4 districts in 4th phase... Seven dead, several injured as murshidabad, malda, nadia, birbhum go to polls

Shaoni Dutta, SNS, Bolpur, 22July 2013: It was an election with a difference in Birbhum today as Trinamul was fighting Trinamul in most places rather than fighting Congress and CPI-M. 
As a result Central forces were found busy manning booths where TMC nominated candidates contested against TMC-backed Independents. They were seen tackling Trinamul supporters who were clashing with TMC-backed Independent candidates. 

The Central team, however, ensured that the clashes didn't disrupt the election process in the district. As the day progressed people were seen standing in long queues to cast votes. The Central troops didn't allow any unauthorised person inside the premises. 

Voters had to show their Voter identity cards before entering the booths. The state police too kept tight vigil in these areas. In Trinamul strongholds state police were seen managing the booths while their Central counterparts patrolled from one booth to another. 

But these booths, surprisingly, didn't have any long queues. It is expected that the larger share of seats in this three-tier election will be won by the ruling TMC. TMC supporters allegedly had taken up the strategy of threatening voters from the time of filing nominations. 

Ironically, the Trinamul faced stiff resistance from Independent candidates fighting with backing of TMC leaders than from the CPI-M and the Congress. Since the ruling party was thrown a challenge by its own Independent candidates, instructions were delivered to the administration accordingly and the Central troops were placed in those booths as the Trinamul feared clashes within its own party. In nearly 120 seats of gram panchayat saw competition between the party-nominated candidates and Independents claiming to represent the party. 

The situation was similar in nearly 26 seats of panchayat samity. Huge presence of Central forces was seen in Suri block II, Mohammadbajar, Bolpur and Nanoor block apprehending TMC infighting. The scene was rather peaceful in Ruppur panchayat where there was no TMC-supported Independent. 

 The district TMC leaders were happy over the presence of Central forces. “The Central forces have done a good job. The district police also did excellent work,” said TMC district president Anubrata Mondal. Three dead in Suri statesman news service Suri, 22 July The panchayat polls in Birbhum turned gory today with the death of three people. Two CPI-M supporters died while making crude bombs and two other supporters were injured in the same incident at Basudebpur village in the Mayureswar police station area this morning. In another incident the father of a TMC Independent candidate was shot at in Kasba village in the Panrui police station area yesterday. 

Police said, two bodies bearing bomb injuries were found in a paddy field at Basudebpur. Two other persons were found lying injured there. The deceased were identified as Samir Sheikh (30) and Ashim Bagdi (33) and the injured were Raju Sheikh and Khaled Sheikh. The CPI-M Mayureswar zonal secretary Mr Arup Bag said: “The deceased were missing for the past few days. We suspect that they were killed and left on the field.” The CPI-M lodged a complaint of murder with the Mayureswar police station. Last night at around 11 p.m. some TMC supporters allegedly attacked the house of a TMC supporter Hridoy Ghosh. 

Ghosh is the candidate of Kandarpapur samsad of Kasba gram panchayat. He was not present in the house at the time of attack. The attackers shot at Sagar Ghosh, father of Hriday Ghosh. He was rushed to Bolpur SD hospital and later shifted to a hospital in Kolkata. In another incident a villager, Dayamoy Laha, was injured after CPI-M activists allegedly attacked him at Kakhutia village in the Dubrajpur police station area. The family members of Dayamoy alleged that CPI-M-backed hit him on his head when he was going to cast his vote. He was taken to Suri Sadar Hospital. 

 The TMC district president said in a Press meet this evening that reports of firing are baseless. However, the CPI-M complained of booth capturing and obstructing poll agents from entering polling stations. 

Neutral in Nadia 

Biswabrata Goswami, SNS, Krishnagar, 22 July:  The fourth phase of three-tier panchayat polls in Nadia district was largely peaceful today, barring the loss of a life and some sporadic incidents of violence in a few blocks of the district. At least 76 per cent of polling had taken place in the district as the 10-hour balloting ended at 5 p.m. But the numbers may swell as over one lakh people were waiting outside at 1870 polling stations even after evening. The district election officer Mr P B Salim expressed satisfaction over the poll process. 

He said that it was ‘peaceful compared to the incidents of violence at three other districts’ and no major incident was reported. The Opposition, CPI-M and Congress, however, brought several allegations of booth jamming and booth capturing against the ruling Trinamul Congress. The district Trinamul Congress leadership has brushed aside the allegations and said it was the CPI-M that unleashed terror on Trinamul supporters. 

Polling had to be stopped in two booths, one each from Soguna in Kalyani and Pearpara primary school booth number 94 in Karimpur –II block as these booths were rigged. The presiding officers of these two booths have recommended re-polling, according to the district election officer. 

A 45-year old man, known to be a CPI-M worker, died in Mayapur this morning. The dead identified as Khabiruddin Sheikh of Char Kasthyasali in Bamunpukur in Mayapur was reportedly injured last night while making bombs. Another two persons were also injured during the blast. Among the injured, Anwar Sheikh, son of the deceased has been admitted to the Saktinagar district hospital while another person was taken to a secret place, a senior police officer said. The CPI-M leaders, however, alleged that Trinamul workers had hurled bombs at them when they were sleeping inside a house there. 

The TMC leaders denied these charges. In Kalyani, there was large scale violence when a group of goons boarded a Maruti van and attacked voters who were in queue in front of booth number 241 at Soguna and hurled bombs at them. As soon as the voters beat a hasty retreat, miscreants allegedly led by Trinamul Congress leader Mukul Roy’s son Subhranshu sneaked into the polling booth and tried to stamp on the ballot papers. 

Later, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) jawans reached the spot and brought the situation under control. The CPI-M workers and supporters soon put up a blockade demanding re-poll. The polling was stopped and the presiding officer sought a repoll. Hours after this incident, trouble broke out at Pearpara booth in Thanarpara in Karimpur-II block as CPM workers armed with swords and lathis attacked homes of Trinamul workers. They ransacked six houses and set a house on fire. They beat up the Trinamul workers who had gone to cast their votes. 

They also snatched blank ballot papers that prompted the presiding officer to stop polling. Later, an appeal was made to the SEC for a re-poll. In Nakashipara, the CPI-M workers were accused of capturing booths at Gopalpur. 

On hearing this, CRPF jawans rushed to the spot and dealt with the CPI-M workers. When the jawans left, the irate CPI-M workers attacked Trinamul supporters and beat them up. Six persons including five women were injured and polling was held up for an hour. In another incident, a CPI-M gram panchayat candidate Nitya Gopal Roy was severely beaten up by a group of Trinamul workers at Dogachi when he was going to cast his vote. He was immediately rushed to Saktinagar district hospital in a critical condition. The CPI-M district secretary Mr Sumit Dey alleged that TMC has rendered the election a farce. Surprisingly, no poll-related arrests have been made as per the district election officer. 

Death by bombings in Behrampore 

Asim Pramanik, SNS, Behrampore, 22 July 2013:  Three persons were killed and at least 50 injured in Murshidabad as the district witnessed rampant violence in forms of bombings and firings by goons and clashes among the political parties. 

Electoral malpractices like booth capturing, snatching of ballot box and papers and rigging were also reported in different parts of the district, especially in the Domkal area where number of deaths in poll-related violence was the highest in the last panchayat election in 2008. 

Two middle-aged men, Muklesur Rahaman and Soudul Islam, residents of Najarana village, were killed in blasts last night. Police said that the victims were professional bomb-makers and died due to splinter injuries as the crude bombs went off on them. 

A 34 year-old housewife, Nurjahan Bibi, was injured as she was caught in bomb explosions near a polling booth. She was pronounced dead when taken to Murshidabad Medical College and Hospital. She was blown up as she was trying to save her minor daughter who accompanied her to booth no in the Kajisha Digirpara area in Beldanga, said Asaduddin Sadek, husband of the deceased. 

The bombs were hurled by CPIM-backed goons, he alleged. Pintu Mondal, a Congress activist and a resident of Kupila area under the jurisdiction of Domkal police station had to be hospitalised after being injured by bullets. 

Mantu Sheikh became the victim of a clash between Congress and CPIM. He was hospitalised in a critical condition. Terror spares no one and son Mrs Moteja Bewa (75) is now fighting for life at Murshidabad Medical College and Hospital with a bullet injury in her chest. A group of Congress supporters were randomly hurling bombs at CPI-M members and a stray bullet pierced Mrs Bewas's chest. Many voters were victims of similar bombings and intra-party clashes. Nearly 50 people are admitted at various hospitals with bomb injuries and even the children were not spared. 

Eklakh Sheikh (5) was injured during indiscriminate bombings at Domkal. Goons attacked a queue injuring several persons in the Hasanpur area. Snatching of ballot papers was reported in the Haldarpara area of Jalangi and Juginda area of Domkal. Miktar Molla in the Juginda area was stabbed while a Trinamul Congress worker was shot at in Islampur, sources said. Booth jamming and capturing were reported from Malopara, Ghoshpara areas of Jalangi. 

Four voters were injured when an armed gang disrupted a voting line by hurling bombs in the Laskarpur area in Domkal. A CPIM-Congress clash was also reported in Shahpur village. “The violence in Murshidabad doesn't surprise us,” said the Behrampore MP and Murshidabad District Congress President Adhir Chowdhury. 

The CPI-M and the ruling Trinamul Congress jointly attacked Congress supporters, said Mr Chowdhury. When questioned about allegations regarding use of personal security provided by the Railways, he said: “The vehicle I used to move around in disturbed areas was approved by the SEC. But I didn't enter any polling booth. Therefore the cattle class ministers of TMC are free to lodge complaints against me.”

(Photo: BNA)