Great violence has been reported from West Bengal in the fourth phase of the 2019 Lok Sabha Elections. In what appears to be the gravest of escalations, central forces were attacked during the process, ABP Ananda has reported. The incident reportedly happened at Dubrajpur.
BREAKING: দুবরাজপুরের পদুমায় গ্রামবাসী-কেন্দ্রীয় বাহিনী সংঘর্ষ, মোবাইল জমা রাখা নিয়ে বচসা, বাহিনীকে লক্ষ্য করে ইট ছোঁড়েন গ্রামবাসীরা, শূন্যে গুলি ছোঁড়ার অভিযোগ বাহিনীর বিরুদ্ধে।
— ABP Ananda (@abpanandatv) April 29, 2019
According to ABP Ananda, the scuffle broke out over the issue of depositing mobile phones. The matter apparently escalated when the central forces were forced to fire blank shots in the air to control the situation which ended up aggravating the villagers who then resorted to pelting stones.
Earlier, Union Minister Babul Supriyo was attacked and his vehicle was damaged allegedly by goons associated with the TMC. He was reportedly attacked after he had visited a polling booth in his constituency, Asansol after voters had threatened to boycott polls citing the non-deployment of central forces in the area.
Journalists, too, have been attacked allegedly by TMC goons after they attempted to expose the extent of violence in the state. Meanwhile, rigging has been rampant and a presiding officer was removed by the Election Commission in connection with the incidents.
Meanwhile, the coverage by ABP Ananda gives one the impression that the constituencies have transformed into a war-zone. Voters can be seen running helter-skelter, journalists huffing and puffing and forces trying hard to control the chaos.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CXLIcQ2padw]
In many areas, voters are either scared to come out and vote or running back hastily from the booths after instances of violence. It is worth noting at this point that TMC leaders have been urging their people to attack the central forces as well.
