At least nine persons were killed in separate incidents of violence in West Bengal on Saturday during the panchayat polls in the state, reported PTI.

Five Trinamool Congress Party members and one worker each of the Bharatiya Janata Party, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and the Congress, and the supporter of an independent candidate are those among the dead.

The panchayat polls for 73,887 seats began at 7 am.

Widespread incidents of violence has been reported from several booths. The BJP has alleged that its polling agent, Madhav Biswas, in Falimari gram panchayat of Cooch Behar was shot dead by Trinamool Congress members, reported PTI.

“TMC goons hurled a bomb at my agent and killed him,” party candidate Maya Barman told the news agency. “They also attacked me.”

BJP MLA from Cooch Behar Nikhil Ranjan Dey accused West Bengal Election Commission Rajiv Sinha of covertly supporting the Trinamool Congress and allowing violence against the Opposition, reported ANI. He also said that the BJP will take the matter to the Calcutta High Court.

In another incident, the Trinamool Congress alleged that Ganesh Sarkar, its booth committee member in Tufanganj 2 panchayat samiti in Cooch Behar district, was killed in an attack by the BJP, reported PTI.

Another Trinamool Congress worker was allegedly killed during a clash allegedly between the ruling party and Congress workers at Chapra in Nadia district.

A 52-year-old Trinamool Congress Party worker, Sateshuddin Sheikh, was killed in Khargram of Murshidabad district.

Brother of a Trinamool Congress leader was killed in a clash with Congress supporters in Malda district, the police said. The deceased has been identified as Malek Sheikh.

The Trinamool Congress has also claimed that two of their party workers were murdered in Rejinagar and Tufanganj and two wounded by gunshots in Domkol, reported The Indian Express.

A supporter of an Independent candidate died in Kadambagachi area in North 24 Paraganas district after he was beaten up, PTI reported. The man, identified as 41-year-old Abdullah Ali, died while undergoing treatment at a local hospital on Saturday, Superintendent of Police Bhaskar Mukherjee told the news agency.

Ahead of the voting on Friday, a Communist Party of India (Marxist) worker, Rajibul Hoque, was critically injured after he was attacked by alleged Trinamool Congress supporters in East Bardhaman district’s Aushgram 2 block, reported PTI. He died in the morning while undergoing treatment at a hospital.

Incidents of destruction of ballot boxes and intimidation of voters were also reported from some areas of the state.

In Cooch Behar district’s Dinhata, ballot boxes were vandalised and ballot papers were set on fire at a booth in Baravita Government Primary School, reported PTI. At another booth in the Barnachina area, a ballot box was torched by residents who alleged that voting process was rigged.

Despite deployment of central security forces by a Calcutta High Court order, widespread violence has marred the polling process across the state.

The Trinamool Congress shared a video on Twitter showing a Border Security Force official purportedly threatening the voters. However, the official can be seen walking back to his vehicle after residents asked him what camp he belongs to.

“The involvement of the BSF in the panchayat elections is unnecessary and unwarranted yet they are harassing our people,” the Trinamool Congress tweeted. “Not a single officer from the central forces was found on the scene to tackle the situation. What happened to the tall claims of maintaining law and order during the polls BJP, Congress, Communist Party of India (Marxist)?”