The unrest erupted after sure polling brokers had been allegedly barred from getting into cubicles.
Kolkata:
Polling is underway for the 9 Lok Sabha constituencies in West Bengal within the seventh section on Saturday, marked by experiences of violence and pressure throughout numerous areas. Clashes had been reported within the Satuliya space in Bhangar, inside the Jadavpur constituency close to Kolkata, between the Indian Secular Entrance (ISF) and CPI(M) supporters. The confrontation led to a number of accidents amongst ISF members, exacerbated by the presence of country-made bombs.
In Kultali, South 24 Parganas district, an offended mob pressured its means into polling stations, seizing an Digital Voting Machine (EVM) and throwing it into a close-by pond. This incident occurred after some polling brokers had been allegedly barred from getting into the cubicles, prompting native residents to retaliate by seizing the EVM outfitted with Voter Verified Paper Audit Path (VVPAT) and discarding it.
West Bengal: EVM machine was seen floating in water throughout voting in South 24 Parganas. pic.twitter.com/HInj1D7gLe
— IANS (@ians_india) June 1, 2024
“At present morning at 6.40 am Reserve EVMs & papers of Sector Officer close to Benimadhavpur FP college, at 129-Kultali AC of 19-Jaynagar (SC) PC has been looted by native mob and 1 CU, 1 BU , 2VVPAT machines have been thrown inside a pond…FIR has been lodged by Sector Officer and crucial motion has been initiated. Ballot course of in all six cubicles below the Sector is working uninterrupted. Recent EVM and papers have been offered to the Sector Officer,” the Chief Electoral Officer of West Bengal mentioned in an announcement.
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At present morning at 6.40 am Reserve EVMs & papers of Sector Officer close to Benimadhavpur FP college, at 129-Kultali AC of 19-Jaynagar (SC) PC has been looted by native mob and 1 CU, 1 BU , 2VVPAT machines have been thrown inside a pond.— CEO West Bengal (@CEOWestBengal) June 1, 2024
Tensions flared in Sandeshkhali below Basirhat Lok Sabha late Friday evening and continued into the early hours of polling. Native girls, armed with bamboo sticks, protested towards alleged threats from Trinamool Congress (TMC) activists and state police. They accused associates of the now-suspended Trinamool chief Sheikh Shahjahan, who’s presently imprisoned, of intimidating their households. State police, nevertheless, claimed the unrest started after native BJP supporters assaulted civic volunteers.
The Chief of Opposition within the West Bengal Meeting, Suvendu Adhikari, and BJP IT cell chief Amit Malviya shared movies of the protests, accusing Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of utilizing occasion goons and state police to intimidate voters.
In Bhangar, clashes between TMC and All India Secular Entrance (AISF) activists erupted early on Saturday, injuring a girl AISF activist. Moreover, the car of AISF candidate Nur Alam Khan was vandalised, allegedly by Trinamool supporters.
Polling for the 9 Lok Sabha seats in West Bengal, together with Dum Dum, Barasat, Basirhat, Jaynagar, Mathurapur, Diamond Harbour, Jadavpur, Kolkata Dakshin, and Kolkata Uttar, started at 7 am below stringent safety measures. Voting will proceed till 6 pm.
Outstanding candidates on this section embody Trinamool Congress common secretary Abhishek Banerjee from Diamond Harbour, BJP’s Rekha Patra from Basirhat, and CPI(M)’s Sujan Chakraborty from Dum Dum. The polling is being carried out below heavy safety, with 1,020 firms of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) within the state, 978 of that are on polling obligation. A complete of 1,960 fast response groups (QRTs) are deployed statewide to handle any tensions.
