NEW DELHI: As many as 18 people were elected in the election-related violence and clashes in India’s eastern state West Bengal, local media reported on Sunday. The recent wave of violence and clashes between different groups of political parties in the region occurred as West Bengal voted to elect village council members. Local media reported widespread violence, vandalism and booth capturing in different parts of the state during the elections.
Death Toll in India’s West Bengal Elections Violence Climbs to 18
ANI reported that as many as ten people associated with the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) were eliminated, three each from the Congress and BJP and two from the Communist Party of India.
The media reports said that both the government and opposition political parties have alleged each other for these killings. The BJP has called for imposing President’s Rule in the region and re-elections in several districts. Polling took place on Saturday while counting will take place on July 11th.
Earlier, media reported that a wave of violent clashes erupted during local polls in West Bengal, India, resulting in the deaths of at least seven individuals and leaving dozens more injured on Saturday. The state of West Bengal is notorious for political violence during election campaigns, and this incident adds to the grim statistics.
Local broadcasters aired disturbing footage showing rival party workers wielding batons and instances of ballot boxes being snatched and set ablaze outside polling stations. In response to the escalating violence, a heavy security presence, including paramilitary troops, was deployed to maintain order at numerous voting booths. The police also reported the seizure of over 200 crude bombs, commonly used in West Bengal elections to intimidate or harm voters, during the polls.
Since 2011, West Bengal has been under the leadership of Trinamool leader Mamata Banerjee, who defeated the Communist-led administration that had governed the state for the preceding three decades. Banerjee, a vocal critic of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has accused his Hindu nationalist BJP of attempting to introduce divisive sectarian politics into the state, which is home to a significant Muslim minority.
