The bypolls in three Assembly constituencies of north Bengal remained overall peaceful on Sunday, save the face-off between Trinamul and BJP supporters at a locality in Islampur.

A section of BJP supporters at Madaripur in the Islampur seat alleged that Trinamul workers had gathered in different corners of the area and started intimidating them.

“The BJP had secured around 900 of 943 votes at the booth in Madaripur in the rural polls last year. As central forces were deployed at the booth this time, Trinamul workers did not do anything. But they stopped us from going to the booth,” said a BJP worker.

BJP supporters raised a blockade on NH31 seeking security to cast their votes. Saumyaroop Mondal, the Islampur BJP candidate, arrived and got in touch with the administration. Soon, a quick response team was sent to Madaripur.

Normality was restored, and the QRT and Mondal left the spot. A group of people who had gathered around 300m from the booth lobbed crude bombs. As the bombs burst near the booth and on the highway, voters had to rush home.

Trinamul has denied the charge. “BJP workers were trying to foment tension. None from our party was involved in whatever happened at the village,” said a district Trinamul leader.

A group of journalists, who had been to the spot, was beaten up with sticks and rods. Their vehicle was ransacked also. One person was arrested for the attack on the reporters.

No major incidents of violence were reported from Darjeeling and Habibpur, two Assembly seats where bypolls were held on Sunday.