Bhangar, the epicentre of political clashes in the run up to the panchayat polls, again erupted late on Tuesday night with three youths, including two supporters of the Indian Secular Front (ISF), succumbing to bullets at Kantalia while counting for the zilla parishad seats was on inside a high school in Bhangar II block.

A police officer of the rank of additional superintendent of police of the Baruipur police and his bodyguard also received bullet injuries as bombs and bullets flew indiscriminately outside the counting centre on Tuesday night with Arabul Islam, the Trinamul strongman of the area, holed up inside the high school with Hakimul, his son.

ISF workers alleged violence erupted when their Trinamul counterparts inside the counting centre realised they would lose one of the three zilla parishad seats. Arabul and his men “manipulated” the counting and ensured the ISF candidate lost, they alleged.

Trinamul leaders said ISF supporters resorted to bombing outside the counting centre from 11pm all of a sudden leaving several party workers seriously injured. Chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday wondered how violence broke out in Bhangar in presence of the central forces.

“How did trouble break out in Bhangar last night (Tuesday)? Central forces were deployed there,” Mamata wondered while addressing the media. “They had gathered people from outside and had stacked bombs before inside a school. When additional SP was fired upon... there were central forces. I would have been happy if they had arrested some Trinamul workers if they were found guilty,” she said, declaring a compensation of Rs 2 lakh and the job of a home guard to the next of kin of those killed in violence during the panchayat polls.

Among the two killed ISF supporters, family members of Rezaul Gazi refused to hand over the body to the police for post-mortem till 6pm on Wednesday, almost 18 hours after his death. A worker in a bag-making unit from Bhogali in Bhangar, Rezaul had joined other ISF workers at Kantalia to celebrate his party candidates’ win in several gram panchayat seats close to midnight.

Rezaul’s relatives said violence erupted suddenly and bullets started flying on the road outside the school followed by bombing. The father of a four-month-old daughter received a bullet and died instantly.

The second victim, Hasan Ali, 26, succumbed to his injuries two hours later. The 26-year-old was declared “brought dead” at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, Calcutta, around 2.45am on Wednesday He is survived by his pregnant wife, family members said.

A police report on Hasan said: “At about 00.10 hours (12.7.2023) some unknown persons injured him by gunshot. As a result, he received injury on his person and was removed to Jirangacha hospital thence to RG Kar MCH Trauma care unit. On duty doctor examined the patient and declared the patient dead....”

The third, Raju Molla, of Chinipukur stepped out of his house on Tuesday night to visit his sister’s home. His relatives said Raju left after picking up a fight with his mother and was caught amid bullets and bombs. He died on the spot.

As violence continued through the better part of the night, Maqsood Hasan, the additional police superintendent, received a bullet on his left hand. His bodyguard took a bullet in trying to save him.

“Arabul led an attack inside the counting centre to ensure his candidate won a zilla parishad seat.... What were government officials doing? A CBI probe will reveal the truth,” ISF MLA Nawad Siddique said.

On Wednesday, police clamped Section 144 of the CrPC across parts of Bhangar with senior police officers combing the area. A team from the CID’s bomb disposal squad defused several bombs recovered last night.

Overall toll

55 Poll-related deaths were reported from other parts of the state too. While a Congress worker and a Trinamul worker were killed in Malda, the body of a Trinamul worker was found at Raidighi in South 24-Parganas.

A Congress worker injured in Sagardighi on Saturday, the day of polling, died in a Calcutta hospital on Wednesday afternoon. The poll-related toll rose to 55, which includes 24 Trinamul workers.