Voting for the second and final phase of the West Bengal Assembly elections is underway across 142 constituencies, but the polling process has been marred by incidents of violence and tension in several districts, raising concerns over security during one of the most crucial electoral battles in the state.
BJP Booth Agent Allegedly Attacked In Nadia
A serious incident was reported from Nadia district, where a BJP booth agent was allegedly assaulted at a polling station in Chapra during the ongoing voting process.
According to the injured booth agent, a group of alleged Trinamool Congress workers attacked him near Booth No. 53. He claimed the attackers were armed with sticks, crude bombs and firearms. The BJP worker alleged that he was chased and assaulted, sustaining injuries to his head during the incident.
He further stated that at least five people were injured in the violence. While some of the injured were taken to a hospital for treatment, others reportedly fled the area and returned home fearing further attacks.
EVM Glitch Triggers Clash In Howrah
Another disturbance was reported from Howrah, where a technical issue involving an Electronic Voting Machine reportedly led to a confrontation at a polling booth.
According to reports, the situation escalated after complaints regarding the EVM malfunction triggered an argument among those present at the polling station. Security personnel from the Central Reserve Police Force intervened to control the crowd.
Visuals from the scene showed security personnel detaining two individuals amid the chaos. In one video, officers were seen dragging a man and placing him inside a security vehicle as the crowd looked on.
Authorities have not yet confirmed the exact reason behind the clash, but the incident added to the volatile atmosphere during polling.
Massive Security Deployment Across Bengal
The second and final phase of the West Bengal Assembly elections is witnessing a large-scale deployment of security forces to ensure smooth polling.
More than 3.21 crore voters are eligible to cast their votes in this phase, including over 1.57 crore women voters and 792 third-gender electors. Polling is being conducted across 41,001 polling stations, all of which are under live webcasting surveillance.
To maintain law and order, the Election Commission has deployed 2,321 companies of central security forces across seven districts, with Kolkata witnessing the highest security deployment.
In addition to the security personnel, the Commission has also assigned 142 general observers, 95 police observers and 100 expenditure observers to monitor the electoral process. Drone surveillance is also being used in sensitive areas to track movement and prevent violence.
Counting Scheduled For May 4
The counting of votes for West Bengal, along with Assam, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry, is scheduled to take place on May 4.
