The seventh phase of the protracted eight-phase Bengal elections was largely peaceful, but sporadic incidents of violence did occur before or through voting day.

Bomb kills student

In the jute mill belt of North 24-Parganas, which had gone to the polls in the sixth phase, a first-year BA student was killed late on Sunday by a bomb, prompting outrage by residents of the area.

Paramilitary personnel patrol a village in South Dinajpur district during the voting on Monday. Telegraph picture

The victim, Anurag Shaw, 20, an Indian army aspirant, was targeted by unidentified attackers with a crude bomb. The explosive hurled at Shaw landed on his shoulder.

Drink raises brows

The BJP has filed a complaint with the Election Commission, accusing the presiding officer of Banskopa polling station, under Durgapur East constituency, of having a drink with a Trinamul leader’s husband on the banks of a pond on Sunday night.

Voter protest

Over 1,200 voters at Harishpur village of Andal in the Pandabeswar Assembly seat abstained from voting on Monday to protest the “apathy” of the local administration regarding their proposed rehabilitation. Several residents of the village had last year their houses and land cracking up owing to nearby mining activities. Sources said the state government and the ECIL assured them of rehabilitation, but no action was taken.

Voters in a queue at a booth in Gangarampur of South Dinajpur district on Monday. Telegraph picture

TMC on central forces

Trinamul in Durgapur East constituency alleged that central force personnel ransacked one of its party offices, located 1km away from a polling station. Party sources alleged that a central force team arrived at the office and ransacked it when workers were preparing food on Monday afternoon, beat up the workers and locked up the building. A complaint was later lodged at Kanksa police station.

A health worker screens a voter with a thermal gun at a polling booth in Balurghat on Monday. Telegraph picture

In the same seat, Trinamul alleged false voting by the BJP, backed by central forces, at the Vidyasagar school polling station. They alleged that BJP workers offered the personnel drinks and incentivised them into false voting.
In Durgapur West, Trinamul accused central forces of ransacking its campaign office and beating up party workers at ward 22 in Durgapur town. Trinamul candidate Biswanath Pariyal rushed to the spot and sought a clarification from personnel about the alleged act. A complaint was registered with the Election Commission.

Hand sanitiser being provided to a voter at a polling station in the Ratua Assembly constituency of Malda on Monday. Soumya De Sarkar

In Malipara village, under Raninagar assembly constituency, Trinamul alleged that the central forces ransacked the home of Trinamul leader Mizan Hasan and assaulted women family members of the leader. Trinamul filed a police complaint later.

Trinamul leader Rubel Ali had to be admitted to the Nabagram Rural Hospital on Monday after he was allegedly beaten by a team of central force personnel in Nimgram area, under Nabagram constituency. Asked about the incident, Rubel said, “My only fault was that I introduced myself as a Trinamul worker.” A police complaint has been registered.

Cap controversy

BJP candidate from Asansol South constituency, Agnimitra Paul, forcibly removed the cap of a Trinamul agent at the Baktanagar polling station after spotting a sticker with the ruling party emblem on it. Paul also lodged a complaint with the Election Commission, accusing the agent of influencing voters.

Thrash complaint

The BJP candidate from Gangarampur seat, Satyendra Nath Roy, lodged a complaint with the Election Commission and South Dinajpur district police claiming that one of his polling agents was picked up by a police team from their home and beaten up. Police refused to clarify the reason behind the detention of the agent.

Attack finger

A Trinamul worker and his wife were allegedly attacked with sharp weapons by miscreants, with suspected Congress links, while going to cast votes in the Chanchal area of Malda. Asked, Congress sources denied the allegations.