Manoj Malaviya, director-general of Bengal police, on Tuesday soft-pedalled violence during the panchayat polls process, attributing the perception to an allegedly exaggerated portrayal by the media, which prompted ridicule from the Opposition.

Bengal's top cop asked journalists if they believed “terrible” incidents of violence were taking place in the state.

“The state is in a sufficiently controlled position. A few incidents, more or less, keep happening even without elections,” said Malaviya.

“Even small incidents, if the media portrays them in a way to suggest that... such things are happening in Bengal… it is unseemly,” he said while interacting with journalists after an inter-state coordination meeting with his counterparts from Bihar and Jharkhand, at Bhawani Bhavan here.

The situation this time has, statistically perhaps, been less alarming than several recent editions of the rural polls in Bengal. But there still have been 15-odd deaths, including a half-a-dozen of the ruling Trinamul camp, since the filing of nominations.

“I will certainly sit with you (the media) after elections are over, give you numbers, whether numbers have gone up or down,” said Malaviya.

“All of you seated here, you are Bengal residents. Do you really feel Bengal is totally out of control, and terrible incidents of violence are taking place?” he asked.

“Two-three incidents have taken place, in which police have taken immediate action,” said Malaviya.

“We have clear instructions from the top... that for any kind of incident police must take prompt action and bring the situation under control,” he added, apparently referring to chief minister Mamata Banerjee, who heads the home department. “Not one such incident took place here where we were unable to bring the situation swiftly under control.”

The Opposition has questioned the impartiality of the state police that Malaviya heads. The Congress and the BJP moved court to seek central forces so that poll security wasn't solely handled by the state police.

The Opposition slammed Malaviya's statements. “All that these people care about is pleasing Mamata Banerjee,” said Congress state unit chief Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury. “Otherwise how can a DG possibly state in this fearsome environment of terror that everything is alright?"

CPM state secretary Md Salim said: “The situation has been war-like since the polls were announced. There has been bloodshed every day.”

BJP state unit chief Sukanta Majumdar demanded Malaviya’s removal. “A DG who believes that lives of those who died do not matter should not remain in that position."