Sporadic violence mars Lok Sabha election in West Bengal, Manipur

Sporadic incidents of violence were reported from West Bengal and Manipur, the two eastern states where polling to elect a new Lok Sabha took place on Friday (April 19).

Since morning, the Election Commission (EC) and a peace room set up at the Kolkata Raj Bhavan by West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose have had a pouring in of complaints of violence, assaults and intimidation. These originated from Cooch Behar, Alipurduar and Jalpaiguri, the three West Bengal three constituencies where voting took place today.

Bose, however, told media persons that the violence in the state has been comparatively less this time.

Cooch Behar

Within an hour of the start of voting, a bomb was recovered from the residence of a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) booth president in Dinhata in the Cooch Behar Lok Sabha constituency.

In another incident, a Trinamool Congress (TMC) polling camp was attacked allegedly by BJP workers at Sitai in the same constituency.

In another incident, a BJP booth president suffered injuries when TMC supporters allegedly stoned BJP workers in Chandamari.

TMC under attack

A TMC block president was injured and hospitalised in Dinhata after being attacked by suspected BJP functionaries.

A temporary election office of the TMC was allegedly set on fire by the BJP functionaries at Cooch Behar’s Tufanganj.

In neighbouring Alipurduar constituency, the TMC accused CRPF personnel and BJP leaders of threatening voters, forcing them to vote for the saffron party. The BJP denied the allegations.

The TMC lodged 80 complaints with the EC while the BJP filed 39 complaints of election violence, voter intimidation and assaults on election agents.

In all, the EC received more than 150 complaints from three West Bengal constituencies. Barring a few, most complaints are from Cooch Behar, EC sources said.

Manipur unrest

The polling was also marred by violence in Manipur.

Voting began in the troubled state with the sound of gunshots near a polling booth in Thamanpokpi in Moirang area of Inner Manipur parliamentary constituency on Friday, spreading panic as voters ran for cover. No casualty was reported.

Armed miscreants in another incident entered a polling booth in Khongman in Imphal East and allegedly cast proxy votes.

Massive polling

BJP-backed miscreants allegedly have been threatening and intimidating voters, the Congress alleged.

Despite sporadic incidents of violence, both the states witnessed heavy polling till Friday afternoon.