1 dead, many hurt as TMC cadres fire at Opp men

Blood spilled barely 60 hours before Bengal panchayat elections leaving one person dead and many others injured on Friday evening.

As predicted by the Opposition outfits barely two days before Bengal’s most angst-ridden rural polls was to take place at least one person died and many others suffered bullet and bomb injuries when armed mercenaries of the ruling Trinamool Congress opened “brush fire” on a procession supporting independent candidates at Bhangar a village some 15 miles east of Kolkata, locals alleged.

The incident took place just about a day after Calcutta High Court refused to interfere with the security measures in the May 14 three-tier panchayat elections that has already seen about 14 people dead during filing of nominations and a whopping 34 percent uncontested wins — translated to over 20,000 seats —for the ruling outfit.

Harried villagers of Machibhanga in Bhangar – II block made frantic rescue calls to police stations and leaders from Natunhaat crossing where they were entrapped while rallying for some independent candidates even as hundreds armed Trinamool goons led by former party MLA Arabul Islam rained bullets and bombs from all sides, State CPI(M) legislative party leader Sujan Chakrabarty said adding he “personally whatsapped the report to the Home Secretary and the Director General of Police.”

These independent candidates from Bhangar had filed their nominations only after the High Court allowed acceptance of their Whatsapped applications as they were prevented from filing their papers at the SDM offices by Trinamool goons.

The Friday’s incident took place at about 4.30 pm when hundreds of rallyists were doing last-minute campaigning, sources said adding Hafizul Islam the victim who was walking in the procession was hit in his face and died. Another person who was also hit was missing, sources said adding many others who received pellets and shaprnells from bombs rained by Islam’s men were being taken for treatment when reports last came in.

Incidentally the Division Bench led by Chief Justice Jyotirmay Bhattacharya of Calcutta High Court had on Friday refused to interfere with the issues related to election dates and alleged inadequate supply of armed forces saying if the State Election Commission was satisfied with the security set up then the Court had nothing to do.

However his order came with a rider saying any loss of life and property — if such losses exceeded the losses incurred in 2013 panchayat elections when central forces were deployed by then SEC Meera Pandey much to the chagrin of Chief Minister Mamata Bannerjee — would be compensated with the salary of the top officers responsible for ensuring security during the elections.

 As against about 1.72 lakh forces including 82,000 CRPF deployed in 2013, the State Government which spiked the idea of bringing central forces have supplied 46,000 armed personnel and 36,000 unarmed cops including forest guards and civic volunteers firing a general skepticism among the voters.