Guwahati, July 8: Nine people were allegedly killed in election-related violence in West Bengal since midnight as voting was underway on Saturday for the three-tier Panchayat polls in the state.

Political violence in West Bengal is not a new thing; every election political violence is reported from the state and many people have been killed during the violence.

According to reports, polling booths were vandalised and ballot papers set on fire at places where people queued up to vote for the Panchayat polls.

Sources said 3 Trinamool Congress (TMC) workers were allegedly killed in separate incidents in Nadia, Murshidabad and Malda districts.

“A BJP polling agent was allegedly killed in Cooch Behar. A CPI(M) worker who was critically injured last evening in East Burdwan district, succumbed to his wounds in a hospital this morning,” said a police official.

West Bengal Governor C V Ananda Bose met people in various districts to take stock of the situation.

“To ensure the safe conduct of the polls, 59,000 personnel of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) and other State Armed Police Forces have been deployed at sensitive polling booths while the rest of the troops of CAPF & SAP along with local state police have been given the responsibility of security at the remaining polling booths,” a statement of BSF stated.

While speaking to media persons, West Bengal LO and BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari said, “This is not vote but loot…This is the collusion of TMC goons and police and that is why so many murders are happening.”

With the Panchayat elections roiled by violence, BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla said the clashes show that democracy is being stifled under the regime of Mamata Banerjee.

Meanwhile, security forces are trying their best to control the situation in the sensitive areas.

The polling began at 7 am in 73,887 seats in the rural areas of the state with 5.67 crore people deciding the fate of around 2.06 lakh candidates. Till 11 am, 22.6 percent voter turnout was recorded.

Also read: Assam: 80 people fall ill after consuming ‘prasad’ at religious function in Dhemaji

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