Violence rules final phase; Around 70 pc polling in Bengal till 5 PM
01-Jun-2024 06:24 PM 6348
Kolkata, June 1 (Reporter) After peaceful six-phase polling, large scale violence marred the last and final phase election to nine Lok Sabha seats in Bengal even as an estimated 69.89 per cent of 1,63,40,365 electorate exercised their franchise till 5 PM on Saturday. While Barasat recorded 71.80 per cent polling, Basirhat accounted for 76.56 per cent, Diamond Harbour for 72.87 per cent, Dum Dum for 67.60 per cent, Jadavpur for 70.41 per cent, Joynagar for 73.44 per cent, Mathurapur for 74.13 per cent, Kolkata Uttar for 59.23 per cent and Kolkata Dakshin also for 60.88 per cent. Basirhat recorded the highest 76.57 per cent, while Kolkata Uttar the lowest 59.23 Baranagar Assembly seat, which went to bypoll, registered 66.70 per cent till 5 PM. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee cast her vote at the Mitra Institution school polling Centre in Bhawanipur in South Kolkata. Before entering the booth, she thanked everyone around her. After casting her vote she showed victory✌️ sign. This phase not only witnessed the highest number of complaints of 2667 with Basirhat recording 902 complaints and Diamond Harbour 675, but also lowest number of votes polled. Meanwhile, reports of stray violence outside polling stations from various constituencies and attempts to drive away polling agents at different booths have been pouring in since morning with Sandeshkhali being the worst-affected. Sporadic violence was reported from almost all the constituencies and the TMC supporters allegedly prevented Opposition candidates from moving to the booths. Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari alleged that a large number of Web Casting Cameras installed in the Polling Booths are malfunctioning in the following Parliamentary Constituencies -- Diamond Harbour - 141 cameras, Mathurapur - 131 cameras, Joynagar - 90 cameras and Jadavpur - 60 cameras." " @ECISVEEP & @CEOWestBengal must intervene and halt the Voting process till it is ensured that the cameras are functioning again. Dr. Aariz Aftab (IAS); Chief Electoral Officer ,Special General Observer; Shri Alok Sinha (IAS Retd.) Special Police Observer; Shri Anil Kumar Sharma (IPS Retd), " he said. The West Bengal Pradesh Congress also dashed off a letter to the ECI, alleging large scale malpractices resorted to by the Trinamool Congress. Violence-prone Sandeshkhali reports arrived that attempt was made to scare away the voters last night at Bermajur, where the women unitedly guarded the village and decided to cast vote in groups. The villagers alleged that unidentified miscreants covered their faces attacked the villagers and threatened them not to cast vote for Basirhat Lok Sabha constituency. At Agarhati in Sandeshkhali one woman was wounded after state police allegedly beat her, but the police denied it saying she fell and got injured. Local villagers took the wounded woman to a hospital. Basirhat BJP candidate Rekha Patra alleged the state police have been working for the ruling TMC. RAF and central armed forces arrived the spot and disperse the assembled people. Police and villagers at Rajbari under Sandeshkhali on Basant highway accused each other of attacking. Police used batons and fired one round of tear gas cells to disperse the agitated villagers protesting the arrest of a BJP supporter, sources said. BJP candidate Sajal Ghosh for Baranagar Assembly segment chief election agent Kaustav Bagchi alleged that Bonhoogly High School polling booth should have two agents for Uttar Kolkata Lok Sabha seat, but one of the agents was driven out. He complained with the Election Commission of India (ECI). BJP office at Baranagar was vandalised by the TMC, alleged assembly candidate Sajal Ghosh. One BJP supporter was wounded, he said. Ghosh asked whether it is peaceful voting and charged the security personnel and poll panel with keeping blind eyes.Ghosh also alleged that the central forces were ineffective. BKC College under Baranagar Assembly bypoll seat witnessed fisticuffs between CPI(M) candidate Tanmay Bhattacharya and TMC local Councillor, who alleged that the CPI(M) leader had attacked him and he defended himself. Bhattacharya alleged that he was prevented from going to a booth. BJP candidate Tapas Roy for Kolkata Uttar was prevented at Lebutala in Bowbazar from going to a booth. Former CPI(M) state secretary Suryakanta Mishra's daughter Rosenara Mishra was prevented from going to Ice Skating Rink booth under Kolkata South. She is the polling agent for CPI(M) candidate Saira Shah Halim, who later intervened to ensure her agent take her seat. Violence was also reported from Bhangar between the supporters of TMC and ISF. Satulia TMC office was ransacked by the alleged ISF supporters under Bhangar where bombings were reported last night and one live bomb was recovered. CPI(M) candidate from Diamond Harbour Pratikur Rahaman alleged that a fake agent was found sitting on behalf of CPI(M) candidate. He alleged that a TMC supporter was found posing as an agent, who finally ran away when chased. Rahaman alleged that the Presiding Officer was playing partisan game. Along with the nine Lok Sabha seats, the Baranagar Assembly bypoll is also underway. Eds: Pls Pick Up Suitably From Earlier Series...////...
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