One killed, many injured as violence hits West Bengal in Lok Sabha polls

Kolkata: A BJP activist was killed in West Bengal’s Jhargram district early on Sunday as a number of violent incidents and clashes rocked the state in the sixth phase of the Lok Sabha polls.

Eight parliamentary constituencies spread across five districts in West Bengal voted on Sunday.

A BJP activist, Ramen Singh (30) from Jhargram constituency’s Gopiballabpur, sustained a grievous head injury after allegedly being hit with an iron rod. He was rushed to a hospital where he was declared dead, police said.

The BJP accused assailants backed by the state’s ruling Trinamool Congress party for the crime.

Incidents of sporadic violence were reported in Midnapore constituency 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 weapons allegedly by BJP supporters. The condition of one person was critical.

Meanwhile, a number of saffron party supporters got injured in the constituency’s Datan area following a clash with Trinamool workers.

Former IPS officer and BJP candidate from West Midnapore district’s Ghatal, Bharati Ghosh, was stopped from entering a polling booth by a group of women Trinamool Congress workers who accused her of influencing the voters.

Ghosh accused the ruling party of organised violence and demanded that the offenders be immediately arrested.

“I am a candidate. I can always enter a polling booth. Those who are trying to stop me should be arrested. They [Trinamool] is resorting to organised violence against me,” Ghosh said before leaving the spot.

Later, bricks were pelted on her convoy near Keshpur, injuring one of her security guards.