Incidents of political violence were reported from parts of Bengal with campaign ahead of the remaining seven phases of polls gaining pace.

In the past 24 hours, a Trinamul leader received a bullet wound, while over a dozen workers of various political parties suffered injuries in clashes.

Trinamul leader and Amjhara gram panchayat member Anup Halder, 37, was shot at from close range in Basanti of South 24-Parganas on Sunday night.

Anup was returning home with his elder brother on a bike when he was shot at in Taldah village. “He suffered bullet injuries in the back while trying to flee on the bike,” said a police officer.

Both Anup and his brother fell when goons attacked them with sharp weapons. Residents rescued them and admitted them to the Canning sub-divisional hospital.

The local Trinamul leadership accused the BJP of engineering the attack. BJP candidate for Basanti Assembly seat Ramesh Majhi attributed the attack to personal rivalry.

In Haroa of North 24-Parganas, at least 14 persons, including women and children, were injured on Sunday night in a clash between Trinamul and Sanjukta Morcha supporters. Police said a group of goons with alleged Trinamul links had attacked the homes of some Indian Secular Front (ISF) activists of the Sanjukta Morcha in Bakjuri-Mathura village of Haroa. “The goons attacked us with sharp weapons and firearms. They did not even spare women and children,” said one of the victims.

The ISF and Trinamul filed complaints against each other with Haroa police after which a police contingent has been deployed in the area.

In Bhandarkhali village of Hasnabad in North 24-Parganas, at least five Trinamul workers were injured on Sunday night after being allegedly attacked by armed BJP workers. The BJP denied the charge.

“BJP workers tore our party flags and began beating us when we protested and tried to stop them,” said local Trinamul leader Govinda Das. “The local BJP leader Liaqat Gaji has unleashed terror in the area along with goons.”

BJP leader Gaji denied the allegations and claimed Trinamul workers were injured in the party’s infighting.

“This has nothing to do with our party,” he said.

The police have started a case on the basis of a complaint lodged by the Trinamul leadership, against seven BJP workers, including Gaji.