West Bengal sees sporadic post-poll violence days nearly a week after results

One Trinamool Congress (TMC) worker died and nine others were critically injured in an alleged clash with BJP cadres in West Bengal’s Birbhum district in the early hours of Saturday. The incident took place in the Dubrajpur area of the district.

Local TMC workers alleged that the BJP cadres launched a pre-planned attack on their workers in the Muktinagar area of Dubrajpur in the early hours of Saturday. Denying the allegation the district BJP leadership claimed that the TMC’s “motorcycle brigade” was unleashing terror in the area.

BJP workers allegedly hurled bombs at a TMC party office in Satgachia area of South 24 Parganas district. The incident took place at around 12 am on Saturday. However, the BJP leadership denied the allegation.

A local TMC leader was allegedly attacked by a BJP worker in the Gangasagar area of the South 24 Paraganas district. Locals said that following an argument the BJP worker Khalek Shah attacked local TMC leader Manoranjan Das with a sharp weapon. Another TMC worker Gopal Das also sustained injuries when in the process of snatching the weapon from Shah.

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Four TMC workers were critically injured in an alleged attack by BJP cadres in the Sonarpur area of the North 24 Paraganas district. Local TMC leadership lodged a complaint at the Sagar Police Station.

The state BJP leadership alleged that student Debabrata Sarkar was assaulted by TMC workers in the Bishnupur Assembly constituency in the South 24 Paragas district.

Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar stated that the Chief Secretary and Director General of Police would brief him at the Raj Bhavan on the post-poll violence.

“Informed by ACS to Governor that Chief Secretary @MamataOfficial and DGP @WBPolice would brief me at Raj Bhawan at 6 PM today.Expect them to be comprehensive and update with the state of affairs, particularly with respect to raging post poll retributive violence and vandalism,” tweeted Dhankhar.

“While State faces worst post election violence- people being made to pay with their lives and freedom only for having exercised right to vote in democracy, Chief Secretary @MamataOfficial comes up with alibi for not briefing Governor. Directed him to comply by 7 PM today,” tweeted Dhankar.

He said in a statement that “ there can be no sane takers for the response of CS ( as conveyed to ACS to Governor) that since the matter is before HC it will be inappropriate for CS brief the Governor. As per CS the stand is as per CM directive.”