The polling agent for the CPM candidate in Seat 27 Safi Biswas alleges that he was forcibly abducted and held captive through the polling hours on Saturday. The resident of Action Area IIB, who stays near Tank 16, recounts his experience.
I reached the Action Area 2B community market at 6.10am along with my reliever Dipali Kolay. There were close to 50 men loitering in the area. The moment I asked the security guard to open the market gate the men asked me for my identity. When I said I was the CPM polling agent, they said I could not go in and started to pull at my bag which had the documents bearing testimony to my credentials. I refused to part with it so they dragged me by the shirt to some distance where a car was parked. Forcing me inside, they said I would have to go with them. Dipali was threatened and abused in the filthiest language but let off.
On the way, they called someone and informed the person that they had picked up a CPM polling agent.
They took me to their party office somewhere in Ghuni, from where the Trinamul Congress candidate of my seat Rojina Khatoon, hails. My phone was taken away and I had no idea where my two-wheeler was. They left me with another group of men with the instruction to give me food.
In the evening, they asked me where I stayed, brought me back to a crossing near it and returned my phone. So long they were referring to me as “tui”. Now they were more civilised in their address. A youth had come riding my bike. It was almost 7pm and I was let off with the instruction not to venture towards the polling station.
I requested for my voter card to be returned. I still have not got it back.