Rathindra Nath Bose, the BJP candidate of the Cooch Behar South Assembly seat, faced protests from people whose names were removed from the voter list while he was campaigning here on Saturday.

Sources said when the candidate reached the home of a BJP worker at Kalabagan in ward 3 of Cooch Beharar town, a group of residents — angered over the removal of their names from the voter list — gathered and began protesting. The area echoed with slogans such as “Joy Bangla”.

After nearly an hour, Kotwali police managed to disperse the protesters and escorted the BJP candidate out of the area. Soon, the residents and Trinamool Congress workers took to the streets with brooms. Claiming the area had been “defiled,” they sprinkled water and carried out what they called a “purification” ritual.

Bose said Trinamool was instigating a particular community. "Our campaign was deliberately obstructed. We will file a police complaint.”

Maya Saha, the local Trinamool councillor, said: “Many people have faced harassment during the SIR process, and numerous names are still under review. The public anger is natural.”