Kolkata: A BJP worker was killed in West Bengal’s Jhargram while Trinamool supporters sustained bullet injuries in West Midnapore by midday during the sixth phase of Lok Sabha polling Sunday that was marred by a number of violent incidents and bids to intimidate voters.
Despite the clashes, nearly 38 per cent of 1,33,56,964 voters registered their votes till 11.00am in the eight constituencies spread across five districts.
Jhargram constituency recorded the highest polling at 41.87 per cent, followed by Tamluk(41.20), Ghatal (39.41), Kanthi (37.53), Bishnupur (37.5), Medinipur (37.42), Purulia (35.78) and Bankura (33.07).
Violence was reported from various parts of the state, even before polling began as a middle-aged BJP activist was killed in Jhargram in the tribal heartland. Ramen Singh, 30, from Jhargram constituency’s Gopiballabpur sustained a grievous head injury after being hit with an iron rod. He was rushed to a hospital where he was declared dead, police said.
For the BJP, which is aiming to make it big in the state this time, this phase is perhaps the most crucial. It includes four constituencies with sizeable tribal population.
In East Midnapore’s Contai Assembly segment, shots were fired by unidentified assailants injuring at least two Trinamool activists, who were rushed to a hospital here.
Incidents of violence and clashes were reported from Midnapore where the saffron party’s state unit chief Dilip Ghosh is engaged in a high profile battle with Trinamool Congress’ Rajya Sabha member Manas Bhunia.
At least four Trinamool Party activists had to be hospitalised after being attacked with sharp objects allegedly by BJP supporters. The condition of one person was said to be critical, Bhunia said.
In other incidents, a Trinamool camp office at Belda was ransacked allegedly by BJP workers and four activists of state’s ruling party were injured.
BJP candidate from West Midnapore district’s Ghatal and former IPS officer Bharati Ghosh was stopped from entering a polling booth at Keshpur by a group of women, said to be Trinamool Congress workers, who accused her of influencing the voters.