Bengal Assembly Elections: Several areas reported clashes during the first round of voting

In the first phase of the West Bengal Assembly elections, clashes were reported from a number of the 152 constituencies spread over 16 districts that cast ballots on Thursday. Violence was also occasionally reported the night before. In areas of Murshidabad, Birbhum, Cooch Behar, and Dakshin Dinajpur, tensions erupted as security forces were stationed in huge numbers to guarantee a free and fair election process. Rival party workers were reportedly fighting, homemade explosives were thrown, and candidates were attacked.

Conflicts broke out late on Wednesday night in Murshidabad’s Domkal and Nowada, which had the most voter removals following the adjudication process.

Even on Thursday morning, there was tension in Domkal’s Raipur village. Some voters at one voting place claimed they were threatened with guns and told not to go. The villagers were led to the polling place by police and Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF), according to officials.

At least four individuals were hurt in a fight between the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPIM) and the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) in Raipur, Domkal. Crude bombs were thrown in a different event at Shibnagar, Nowada, after the TMC and the Aam Janata Unnayan Party (AJUP), a party founded by former TMC MLA Humayun Kabir, clashed. Roads were eventually blocked by TMC and AJUP employees.

While touring polling places on Thursday, Suvendu Sarkar, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate from Kumarganj in Dakshin Dinajpur, was allegedly attacked by TMC employees. Sarkar was reportedly following a TMC employee earlier in the day after the latter allegedly threatened one of his polling agents. Later, TMC members allegedly attacked him when he went to another polling place. Sarkar’s security guard tried to protect him as a group of people punched and dragged him in a video that went viral on social media.

“TMC workers tried to attack me. A section of locals and my security guard rescued me. There were no police. I didn’t see the CAPF either,” Sarkar said.

Additionally, reports of clashes came from the Birbhum district’s Labhpur and Murarai. A polling agent for Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate Debasis Ojha was allegedly attacked by Trinamool Congress (TMC) activists in Labhpur. Two Indian National Congress employees were reportedly hurt in a fight with TMC supporters in Murarai. 

A local BJP leader was hurt in a fight between TMC and BJP activists at Sitalkuchi in the Cooch Behar district. The BJP candidate from Asansol South in West Burdwan, Agnimitra Paul, said that stone pelting had damaged her car’s back windshield.

To guarantee free, fair, and violence-free voting, the Election Commission of India (EC) has implemented several measures. Along with sizable state police contingents, more than 2,400 companies of central armed police forces were deployed, and all 44,000 polling places were broadcast. 

Following the announcement of the results on May 2, 2021, there were widespread accusations of post-election violence. The TMC won 213 of the 294 assembly seats, returning to power for the third consecutive year. A CBI investigation into the claims was subsequently mandated by the Calcutta High Court.