Dragged out of home, neck severed: How political violence rocked Bengal panchayat election 2023
West Bengal panchayat election 2023: 19 people were killed and dozens injured on July 8 amid widespread allegations of looting of ballot boxes and bomb attacks.
The latest trends in the West Bengal panchayat election 2023 results indicate that ruling Trinamool Congress took a massive lead over its closest rival Bharatiya Janata Party on Tuesday. Counting of votes for the three-tier panchayat polls to nearly 74,000 seats in West Bengal began in a peaceful manner amid tight security, officials said.
However, violence had rocked West Bengal's rural polls on Saturday, leaving 19 people dead while ballot boxes were vandalised, ballot papers torched, and bombs thrown at rivals in several places. Of those killed, 11 were affiliated with the TMC. The total death toll in the state since the poll process began on June 8, when the dates were announced, has crossed 42.
There are around 339 counting venues spread across 22 districts. The maximum number of counting centres was in South 24 Parganas at 28, while the minimum was in Kalimpong at four. Some northern districts are also facing inclement weather.
19 killed during July 8 panchayat election
As many as 19 people were killed and dozens injured on July 8 amid widespread allegations of booth capturing, rigging, looting of ballot boxes, heckling of polling officials, and firing and bomb attacks. The number of people that died solely on voting day stands at 19, six higher than the 13 people that were killed in polling day violence in 2018.
133 people sought refuge in Assam's Dhubri: Himanta Sarma
Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday said 133 people, who feared for their lives, sought refuge in Assam's Dhubri district amid violence in West Bengal during panchayat polls.
"Yesterday, 133 individuals who feared for their lives due to violence in the panchayat election in West Bengal sought refuge in Dhubri District of Assam. We have provided them shelter in a relief camp, food, and medical assistance", CM Sarma shared in a tweet.
The people have now taken shelter at Ronpagli MV School of Jhapusabari area in Dhubri district, the CM added.
Sarma said the state government has provided them with shelter in a relief camp, as well as food and medical assistance.
West Bengal state election commission on Sunday said the police have confirmed 10 deaths in poll-related violence across the state.
Trinamool Congress spokesperson and West Bengal minister Shashi Panja hit out at Sarma, bringing in reference of the people left out of the final draft of National Register of Citizens (NRC), which was updated for the northeastern state.
“@himantabiswa must be nauseated from the dizzying heights of self-righteousness & misplaced moral superiority! Before raising a false alarm and creating a sense of panic, he should consider the fate of the 1.9 million residents of Assam who were rendered stateless due to NRC,” Panja wrote.
Security forces and state poll panel at loggerheads
The security forces and the state election commission are also at loggerheads over the violence. BSF DIG SS Guleria said, "Where the central forces were deployed, there was no violence and we were not informed about the sensitive booths."
The DIG of BSF was the nodal officer for the deployment of the central force. The Calcutta high court has sought a report from him on the violence. The court has also asked the state government to help the victim's family for the last rites of those killed in the election violence and to provide treatment to the injured.
On the other hand, state election commissioner Rajeev Sinha said the responsibility of law and order rests with the district administration. The job of the commission is to handle the entire system.
Stories of deaths in Bengal
Babar Ali, block leader of TMC: Dainik Bhaskar reported that TMC's Babar Ali was the block leader in Murshidabad's Kapasdanga. He was having tea at a shop with his friend Phoolchand Sheikh when 5-7 persons came and attacked both with sharp weapons. Babar Ali's supporters took him to the hospital in Beldanga, but he was declared brought dead. Phoolchand is admitted to the Medical College of Murshidabad. His condition is still critical.
Yasin Sheikh, father-in-law of candidate: Yasin Sheikh, the father-in-law of TMC's panchayat candidate Babita Khatoon, was killed in Rajinagar on July 8, the day of voting. He was returning with a dinner for the staff posted at the booth when he was attacked with a bomb.
Self-help group leader and Yasin's wife Rupali alleged that “people associated with the Congress got the attack done”, Dainik Bhaskar reported. “My husband's body was lying on the ground, but the police did not even let us go near him. In the night the doctors told that he had died,” she said.
Sabir Uddin Shaikh, TMC worker: TMC worker Sabir Uddin Shaikh lived in Ratanpur village under Khargram police station. There was a knock on the door of his house at 4am on July 8. As soon as the door was opened, the miscreants dragged him out. Took him to a nearby pond. They fled after severing Sabir's neck on the bank of the pond.
Congress leader Fulchand Sheikh was murdered in the same area. Sabir was accused of the murder. It is also being said that Phoolchand's murder was avenged by killing Sabir.
