April 22: They turned up to vote, but were turned away.

Today’s polls saw an avalanche of genuine voters alleging their names had been deleted from the voters’ list.

The largest bunch of complaints came from Katagunj in Nadia’s Chakda area , about 55 km from Calcutta, where residents gheraoed and heckled deputy election commissioner Anand Kumar, who is overseeing the second phase of polls in East Midnapore, Nadia, Howrah and Hooghly districts.

Around 11.45 am, when Kumar reached Katagunj Primary School, an army of around 200 people, including residents of the nearby Bedibhaban and Gayeshpur gheraoed him for over an hour. They hurled abuses at Kumar and threatened to hold him hostage unless they were given voting rights immediately.

“Apnara ki hero shajte ekhane eshechhen gari kore dhulo uriyey? Amra keu bhuture voter noi (Are you trying to be a hero, coming in cars kicking up dust? We are not bogus voters),” shouted Ranjit Ghosh, a resident of Katagunj.

Behind Ghosh, Sudharani Pal peered over his shoulder. The 80-year-old’s name had been struck off the list as dead. “You are inhuman. How could your people record this old woman as dead?” Ghosh asked, pointing at her.

Kumar immediately ordered an inquiry and tried to pacify the crowd. Citing Election Commission rules, he told them that they would not be able to cast their votes today. But, they refused to listen.

“What do you mean that we can’t vote today? Do you know what you have done to us? Are we Bangladeshis? We will not let you go unless you do something,” thundered Prabir Dey.

Kumar then called up chief election commissioner B.B. Tandon. But that did not not help either.

Around 100 women rushed up to Kumar. “Mr Anand, election officials came to our house to enquire about my son. I told them he is away on work. They then simply struck off his name from the list. How can they do it? Is there an emergency?” asked 45-year-old Gouri Sikdar whose son works in Abu Dhabi.

The crowd let go of Kumar after he promised them that he would ask the block development officer to start a probe.