May 13: Clashing RSP and CPM supporters snatched a rifle and a tear gas gun from policemen when the force went to disperse them at Basanti, South 24-Parganas, this evening.

At least 25 people, including 10 policemen, were injured. The condition of two policemen was said to be serious.

District police chief Praveen Kumar said the rifle and the tear gas gun were traced tonight following raids across Basanti. Fifteen people have been arrested. “Rapid Action Force personnel are patrolling the area.”

The Left Front partners are fighting each other in the polls in Basanti, 80km from Calcutta.

SUCI supporters clashed with CPM cadres at Kultali, about 120km from Basanti.

Poll panel secretary S.N. Roychowdhury said the dist- rict magistrate has been told to probe an SUCI complaint that said 10 of its supporters had received bullet injuries.

Sunderbans development minister Kanti Ganguly denied the CPM’s involvement.

CPM trio thrashed

Three Nadia CPM leaders, including a college teacher, were beaten up last night after being accused of distributing cash and clothes for votes.

The villagers abused Bibhas Biswas, the district primary school chairman, who was also in the car stopped by about 100 alleged Trinamul and BJP supporters.

The CPM leaders said they had gone to tribal-dominated Bhajanghat, 130km from Calcutta, to train polling agents and visit an ailing comrade.

Kalidas Mukherjee, a teacher of Majdia College, Narayan Ghosh, the local committee secretary, and Rabindranath Ghosh, the outgoing chief of the local panchayat, were with Biswas.

“We offered Sadhan Patra, a committed party member who is poor and needed help, some money and clothes,” said Biswas. Ghosh said: “They slapped and hit us, accusing us of buying votes.”

Police rescued them.