Bengal: 1 dead, 2 critical in pre-rural poll violence; HC tells SEC to deploy forces

The Calcutta High Court on Thursday (June 15) directed the State Election Commission (SEC) to requisition and deploy central forces across West Bengal for the July 8 panchayat elections in the state.

The court order came on a day when one person was killed and two were critically wounded after being allegedly shot at in North Dinajpur district when they were on their way to file nominations for the panchayat polls, officials said.

While the Opposition alleged that the assailants were TMC goons, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee accused them of trying to “malign the state by orchestrating violence”.

CM rubbishes Oppn allegations

“There are around 74,000 booths; some incidents have taken place in only two or three. In those incidents, our party workers are not involved,” Banerjee told reporters outside a party office at Diamond Harbour.

“Our party has nothing to do with what has happened in Islampur and Chopra (Uttar Dinajpur)… I have asked the police to take stern action,” she said, hinting that the incident in Chopra may be a fallout of a “family dispute”.

Also read: WB panchayat polls: Parts of state witness violence over nomination filing

“Opposition parties are trying to create disturbances by orchestrating violence while filing nominations. They are doing it to tarnish the states image. If they (Opposition) think they will unleash one-sided violence, people will give a befitting reply,” she said.

Speaking on the ongoing violence in Bhangore in South 24-Parganas, around 30 km from Kolkata, Banerjee blamed the Indian Secular Front (ISF) for it without naming the party.

“For the last two days, a political party which uses religion to polarise people has unleashed a reign of terror in Bhangore, assaulting our party workers and ransacking several vehicles. There has been some retaliation from our end too yesterday,” she said.

Plea for forces

The court, however, noted that no appreciable steps have been taken ever since it passed an order on June 13 to deploy central forces in sensitive areas for the poll process.

Petitioners had prayed for the deployment of central forces for ensuring peaceful elections, claiming that the state had witnessed large-scale violence during municipal elections in 2022 and Kolkata Municipal Corporation elections in 2021.

Opposition parties have been alleging that the ruling Trinamool Congress supporters resorted to violence to prevent their candidates from filing nomination papers.

CPI(M) state secretary Md Salim said on Thursday that the three persons shot at were supporters of the Left Front and the Congress, and the incident happened when they were going to the Chopra block office to file nominations.

Also read: West Bengal: Amid graft cases, TMC faces panchayat acid test before LS polls

Salim alleged that the TMC was behind the attack. “Activists and candidates have been fired upon by TMC goons just now in North Dinajpur’s Chopra block. Left-INC supporters were going to Block office for filing nomination #PanchayatElection2023,” he tweeted.

After being shot at, the trio was taken to the district hospital, where one died during treatment, officials said. The conditions of the other two persons were critical, they said.

State Election Commissioner Rajiva Sinha declined to comment on the incident, saying he was yet to receive a report regarding it.

The state, however, claimed in court that till Wednesday, more opposition candidates had filed nominations than those of the ruling party. Thursday was the last day for filing nomination.

Polling for nearly 75,000 seats in the three-tier Panchayati Raj system will be held on July 8.

(With agency inputs)