Protests across Bengal over panchayat polls violence; protesters lathi-charged

Protests were held in different parts of West Bengal on Sunday against the violence that rocked the panchayat elections and over allegations of irregularities.

In Purba Medinipur district, BJP workers blocked the Haldia-Mecheda state highway at Nandakumar alleging that ballot boxes were being tampered with at the counting centre at Srikrishnapur High School.

#WATCH | Miscreants torch and damage vehicles in Belon village under Chakulia police station limits in Uttar Dinajpur district of West Bengal pic.twitter.com/lbOp7BSuJV

— ANI (@ANI) July 9, 2023

"We received information around 3 am that the ballot boxes were being changed. We are demanding repolling at all the booths in the area under the protection of central forces, besides counting of votes at the booths itself," said Tamas Dinda, a leader of the BJP's youth wing in Tamluk.

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As the situation escalated, police baton-charged the protesters to bring the situation under control, officer-in-charge of Nandakumar police station Manoj Kumar Jha told PTI.

Congress workers blocked the National Highway 12 in Rathbari area in Malda, protesting against the violence during polling on Saturday.

"We have hit the streets in protest against Saturday's violence. We will also go to the court against it," Congress MP Abu Hasem Khan Choudhury said.

In the district's Harishchandrapur area, state minister Tajmul Hossain's car was vandalised in Basta village by some miscreants around 10 pm on Saturday. A police vehicle was also vandalised as stones were hurled. A policeman was injured in the attack.

It is suspected that miscreants from Bihar, just across the inter-state border, are behind the incident, police said, adding that an investigation was underway.

In Uttar Dinajpur, two cars were set on fire, and several vehicles, including a state-run bus, were vandalised as the protests turned violent in the Chakulia police station area.

The incident happened on the Rampur-Chakulia Road and National Highway 31 in the morning.

The demonstrators said they were unable to vote during the polls due to intimidation, and repeated calls to the administration went in vain.

Congress workers held similar protests in Murshidabad district's Beldanga, alleging that supporters of the ruling TMC indulged in intimidation of voters and false voting with impunity during the polls.

At Amdanga in North 24 Parganas, clashes were reported between ISF and TMC supporters.