Despite explicit instructions to the state government to ensure adequate security during the ongoing hearings related to the special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, a mob ransacking another block development office on Tuesday, this time at Sandeshkhali in North 24-Parganas.

Tuesday's vandalism at the Sandeshkhali-I BDO office followed incidents of violence at the Farakka and Chakulia block development offices, sharpening tensions between the ruling Trinamool Congress and the BJP.

Officials accused police of inaction during the initial phase of the attack on Tuesday morning.

Over 100 people shouting abusive slogans stormed the Sandeshkhali-I block development office, vandalising furniture, laptops, computers and important documents, and triggering panic among employees while the SIR verification hearing process was underway.

Congress workers jump over police barricades during a protest march against the SIR outside the chief electoral officer’s office in Calcutta, on Tuesday. PTI

A reinforced team from Nazat police station intervened and dispersed the mob, bringing the situation under control after an initial period of alleged inaction.

The hearings, held up during the rampage, were resumed later in the afternoon. Sandeshkhali-I block development officer Sayantan Sen lodged a complaint with the Nazat police. No arrests were made in connection with the incident till evening, cops said.

According to aggrieved villagers and police sources, trouble erupted after some employees engaged in the hearing process allegedly misbehaved with voters summoned for hearings.

Tensions escalated amid rumours that despite a recent Supreme Court order, the Election Commission’s online software was not accepting Madhyamik examination admit cards as proof of age.

“After the Supreme Court directive, we brought our Madhyamik examination admit cards today (Tuesday). But after online submission, the EC’s system declined to accept them. It appeared that the EC was violating the Supreme Court order,” an aggrieved villager said, alleging that officials misbehaved with those who had turned up at the BDO office to attend the hearing.

The technical snag, coupled with the alleged misbehaviour, heightened tensions, following which some villagers turned violent and began ransacking the office.

Villagers alleged that while they were being summoned repeatedly for hearings over "trivial discrepancies", the official software was rejecting documents that were effectively their last resort to remain on the voter list. “The EC is testing our patience. There should be an end to such harassment,” a villager said.

The SIR exercise has been mired in controversy across several Bengal districts, with complaints of harassment, repeated summons, and discrepancies arising from spelling errors and data entry mistakes. The issue reached the Supreme Court recently, where the apex court observed that the Madhyamik exam admit card should be accepted as valid proof of age during the verification process.

Sandeshkhali-I BDO Sayantan Sen, however, denied charges of misbehaviour by officials. “A violent mob attacked us by entering my office when hearings for the Boyramari-Hatgachi area were on. Many people were waiting for their turn in the queue, but suddenly some goons, who probably mingled with the waiting villagers, forced their way in and began vandalising computers, furniture and documents. We called the police for protection and resumed the hearing after a short gap,” Sen said.

The BJP held chief minister Mamata Banerjee for the incidents of violence.

BJP spokesperson Jagannath Chattopadhyay said: “Mamata Banerjee should be held responsible for such attacks for she has been inciting people with the wrong narrative and has been desperately trying to suspend the SIR process.”

In Dhubulia, Nadia district, leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari accused Mamata for voter harassment. “Discrepancies in voter names caused by spelling mistakes should be attributed to Mamata Banerjee. Had she provided adequate data entry operators, such mistakes could have been averted,” he said.

Trinamool Congress spokesperson Tanmay Ghosh described the incidents as "spontaneous outburst of public anger" stemming from harassment during the SIR verification process.

Bengal chief electoral officer Manoj Kumar Agarwal apprised the Election Commission of Tuesday’s violence.

Following the Chakulia BDO office rampage, the EC had directed the North Dinajpur district administration to lodge an FIR. The police have so far arrested 19 persons in connection with that incident.

Bhangar bombing

At Bhangar in South 24-Parganas, a Trinamool Congress worker narrowly escaped an attempt on his life after bombs were hurled at him on Monday night. Trinamool worker Kamal Purokait suffered burns on his left palm as one of the bombs exploded near him in Paglahat under North Kashipur police station limits. Trinamool leadership accused the ISF of being behind the attack. ISF denied the charge, claiming Trinamool factionalism was behind it.

Plea dismissed

A division bench comprising Chief Justice of Calcutta High Court Sujoy Paul and Justice Partha Sarathi Sen on Tuesday refused to accept the BJP's plea for deployment of central forces in strife-torn Beldanga in Murshidabad. Beldanga had erupted last week over the alleged murder of a migrant worker in neighbouring Jharkhand. The bench also turned down BJP's plea to hand over the Beldanga violence probe to the NIA.

"The court does not find enough reason to transfer the probe at the moment. The state police will maintain peace in the area and provide the safety of the people," the bench held.

The division bench, however, added that the state government "may seek the assistance of the central government for the purpose. In that case, the Centre will assist the state and send forces according to the demand."

The BJP, in its petition, claimed that the state administration had failed to maintain peace and protect the safety of Beldanga's people, and hence the court should ask the Centre to deploy central forces. The NIA should be asked to probe as explosions occurred in the incident, the petition had said.