West Bengal Panchayat violence: Two killed in TMC factional fight 

KOLKATA: Two persons were killed in a suspected factional fight in the ruling Trinamool Congress during a victory procession in North 24 Parganas district today, police said.

The rally was organised by the party after it won the Falti Gram Panchayat in the Sasan area of the district uncontested.

Local party leader Saifar Rahman (52) was attacked with a knife when he was walking in the rally.

He was taken to a hospital in Barasat where he was declared dead on arrival.

Police sources said local people beat 40-year-old Rajab Ali, a Trinamool Congress worker, to death alleging that he killed Rahman.

Meanwhile, in continuing violence over panchayat poll nominations in the state, houses of two Congress candidates were torched in the Ratua area in Malda district, police said.

Nine more houses, reportedly of Congress supporters, were also set on fire.

A Congress candidate was killed in a road accident in Malda district on April 9 and another person was shot dead earlier this month during a clash in the same district.

Meanwhile, the scrutiny of nomination papers for three-phase panchayat polls in West Bengal was completed today, State Election Commission (SEC) sources said here.

There are 48,751 seats in 3,358 gram panchayats, 9,240 seats in 341 panchayat samities and 825 seats in 20 zilla parishads, the sources said.

The last date for withdrawal of candidature is April 16.

The election would be held on May 1, 3 and 5.

The police prevented CPI(M) supporters and women Congress activists from going to the SEC office, where Section 144 of the CrPC is in force.