WB Panchayat polls: one killed in fifth phase, toll mounts to 21

Women in a queue to cast their vote at a polling station in the fifth and final phase of West Bengal panchayat polls near Balurghat on Thursday. One person was killed in poll related violence.

A man was killed on Thursday in a clash between Trinamool Congress and CPI(M) supporters in North Dinajpur district during the fifth and final phase of West Bengal panchayat elections, taking the toll in poll-related violence to 21 since the exercise began.

Police said Abdul Aziz (50) was stabbed to death during the clash at Borobilla at Itahar when polling was on.

Opposition CPI(M) has claimed that the man was its member and a number of its supporters were injured in the clash.

Police, however, did not comment on the claim.

With Thursday’s death, the toll in rural poll violence went up to 21 since the polling began in the state on July 11.

Meanwhile, a 70-year-old voter died of heart attack at Phulbari while he was waiting in queue to cast his vote for the Dabgram-Phulbari gram panchayat in Jalpaiguri district.

Police said Mahendra Burman was rushed to nearby public health centre after he collapsed and was declared brought dead by the doctors.

In another incident at Ranapur in North Dinajpur, 16 rival political party supporters were injured in CRPF lathicharge in front of a polling both under Itahar police station.

Voting was suspended in a booth under Durgapur gram panchayat after mischief mongers attempted to snatch ballot papers. Polling was also suspended at Kapusia block when some people snatched a ballot box and threw it into a river, police said.

In Raiganj block, police opened blank fire to disperse a mob which had gathered in front of the Alenga polling booth and attempted to snatch ballot papers.