At least 12 dead in post-poll violence in West Bengal

Sources said that Mamata Banerjee held meeting on Monday at her South Kolkata residence regarding post-poll violence

At least 12 people were allegedly killed in post-poll violence in West Bengal since the results of the Assembly elections were declared on Sunday.

Sources in the state administration said that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee held meeting on Monday at her South Kolkata residence regarding post-poll violence with Chief Secretary Alapon Bandyopadhyay, Home Secretary H K Dwidevi, Director General of Police P Nirajnayan and Kolkata Police Commissioner Soumen Mitra.

A Trinamool Congress (TMC) worker was allegedly murdered in the Ketugram area of East Bardhaman district late in the early hours of Tuesday. Local TMC leadership alleged that Srinivas Ghosh (55), a TMC panchayat member was stabbed to death by BJP workers when he was returning home.

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Ghosh was rushed to a local hospital where doctors declared him brought dead. District police sources said that three others also sustained injuries in the incident are undergoing treatment. They also said that four persons were detained in relation to the case. The BJP leadership denied the allegation. Three more persons, including two TMC workers and the mother of a BJP worker, also died in alleged political violence in the district.

A 20-year-old youth Manik Sarkar was allegedly shot dead in the Sitalkuchi area of Cooch Behar district on Monday. While both the TMC and the BJP claimed that he was their supporter, his family members said that he was not involved with any political party. They also said that he was shot during an armed confrontation between two parties.

Later on Monday, the BJP alleged that one of their workers was killed by TMC cadres in the Dinhata area of Cooch Behar. The TMC leadership denied the allegation.

A BJP worker was allegedly beaten to death by TMC cadres in the Kankurgachi area of Kolkata on Sunday. Local BJP workers alleged around 20 TMC cadres vandalised a BJP party office in the area on Sunday afternoon. They said that the deceased was beaten to death by the TMC cadres when he started to record the incident live on social media.

Denying the allegation, the TMC leadership said that the incident was the outcome of a faction feud in the TMC. On the same day, a BJP worker was allegedly murdered by TMC cadres in Sonarpur area of South 24 Paraganas district. The BJP leadership denied the allegation.

While an Indian Secular Front (ISF) worker was allegedly stabbed to death by TMC cadres in the Duttapukur area of North 24 Paraganas district on Monday, a TMC leader was allegedly beaten to death by BJP cadres in the Khanakul area of Hooghly district in the same day.

Meanwhile, BJP leader Himanta Biswa Sarma tweeted "In a sad development 300-400 @BJP4Bengal karyakartas and family members have crossed over to Dhubri in Assam after confronted with brazen persecution & violence. We’re giving shelter & food.@MamataOfficial Didi must stop this ugly dance of demonocracy!Bengal deserves better."