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regular-article-logo Monday, 06 May 2024

Bengal Assembly Polls 2021: Voters face threats outside booths

The third phase of the Bengal elections was held on Tuesday with 31 Assembly constituencies in three districts going to the elections

Snehamoy Chakraborty, Arkamoy Datta Majumdar, Subhashis Chaudhuri Published 07.04.21, 01:07 AM
Security personnel during the voting at Bamanpara in Hooghly district on Tuesday.

Security personnel during the voting at Bamanpara in Hooghly district on Tuesday. PTI

The third phase of the Bengal elections was held on Tuesday with 31 Assembly constituencies in three districts going to the polls. The polling was marked by sporadic incidents of violence and The Telegraph throws light on a few of those

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Where: Hyalan in Bagnan Assembly constituency in Howrah

When: 10pm on Monday

What: Jogibar Bag, Trinamul’s president for Bagnan’s booth 233, was allegedly attacked with sharp objects by BJP goons.

Officialspeak: “Two persons have already been arrested. A report has been sought from the district administration,” an EC official said.

Where: Booth 123, Bishnupur seat in South 24-Parganas

When: Tuesday morning

What: A video shows a Trinamul worker stopping a woman from going to cast her vote. The woman went ahead and polled her vote in spite of the hindrance.

Officialspeak: “A report has been sought from the district administration and the man seen in the video has been arrested,” an EC official said.

Where: Parul Ramkrishna Sarada High School, Arambagh Assembly in Hooghly

When: Around 5pm on Tuesday

What: The vehicle of Arambagh’s BJP candidate Madhusudhan Bag’s polling agent was vandalised. A BJP worker travelling with the polling agent was also injured. The BJP supporter alleged Trinamul goons tried to attack him with a sword which cut his palm.

Officialspeak: “We’ve received a complaint. We are looking into the matter,” an EC official said.

Where: Parulia gram panchayat under Haridevpur block of Diamond Harbour Assembly seat in South 24- Parganas

When: 11am on Tuesday.

What: Around 100 residents of Parulia in Diamond Harbour were allegedly threatened at gunpoint by suspected Trinamul supporters when they went to polling station 185 to cast their votes returning to the area after a gap of about four years.

The villagers alleged that they could not cast their votes in 2018 and 2019 (panchayat and Lok Sabha polls). This time also, they didn’t.

Officialspeak: An EC official said: “A team of EC led by SDO Diamond Harbour and central force later escorted the villagers to the polling station in the evening when they were able to cast their votes.”

Where: Purba Rupnagar under Kultali Assembly seat in South 24-Parganas

When: 11.30am on Tuesday

What: Clash between Trinamul and BJP workers. While the saffron camp alleged that they were beaten up without any reason, Trinamul supporters said that these men were outsiders and were trying to influence voters. The BJP activists accepted that they weren’t local residents and have come there to distribute surgical masks. One Trinamul and four BJP supporters were injured.

Officialspeak: “We had received a complaint and two men each from either political parties were detained,” a police official said.

Where: Booths 59 and 60 in Mandaran area under Goghat Assembly in Hooghly.

When: Around 10.30am on Tuesday

What: Local Trinamul workers and voters alleged that the CRPF was trying to intimidate and influence women voters to cast to vote for BJP.

Officialspeak: “A complaint has been received and the matter is being looked into,” an EC official said.

Where: Booth No. 181 of Jangipara Assembly in Hooghly.

When: 8.30am

What: Trinamul workers alleged that a group of ISF supporters attacked one of the former’s polling agent, beat him up and threatened him to not perform his duty.

Official speak: “We have received a complaint and looking into it,” an EC official said.

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