NEW DELHI: Chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday sought Union home minister Amit Shah's resignation over firing by central forces at Sitalkuchi in Cooch Behar, killing four people.
At a rally in Baduria in North 24 Parganas, said she would be leaving for Cooch Behar after attending rallies, and would visit spot where central forces opened fire during polling.
Calling the attack "dastardly, cold-blooded and unprecedented", Banerjee demanded that "Shah should resign" owing responsibility for the incident.
Banerjee to hold a protest rally in Cooch Behar tomorrow against today's firing incident.
She said TMC would bring out protest rallies throughout the state on Sunday and asked party activists to wear black badges and peacefully protest the killings from 2 pm to 4 pm.
Meanwhile, the Election Commission ordered adjourning the poll in Polling Station 126 of Sitalkurchi assembly constituency. The poll body took the decision based on an interim report from Special Observers. Detailed reports have been sought from them and Chief Electoral Officer by 5 pm on Saturday.
TMC spokesperson MP Derek O'Brien wrote a mail to EC and said five party workers of a "certain faith" were shot dead by the CRPF in Cooch Behar.
In the mail, O'Brien said, "In booth no. 126, AC Sitalkuchi, five people have been shot dead by the CRPF after Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) captured the booth. According to our sources on the ground, all five were AITC party workers belonging to a certain faith."
However, CRPF clarified that the component was neither deployed at the said booth nor involved in the incident in any way.
Addressing a press conference, TMC leader Dola Sen said, "In block 1 of Mathabhanga (Cooch Behar) one TMC worker was killed and three were injured after Central Forces opened fire on them, in Sitalkurchi block, three TMC workers were killed and one was injured."
Voting is underway in 44 constituencies in five districts of West Bengal during the fourth phase of the state Assembly polls. Among the 44 constituencies, nine are in Howrah, 10 in Hooghly, 11 in South 24 Parganas, five in Alipurduar and nine in Cooch Behar.