Inthe fourth phase of elections in West Bengal, five people have been reportedlykilled in two separate incidents. In one such incident, central forces openedfire on an unruly mob in Sitalkuchi assembly constituency in Mathabhanga blockin Cooch Behar district today killing at least four persons.
Whilein another such incident in the same constituency a first-time voter waskilled, taking the total number of deaths to five.
Meanwhilesources in the Election Commission have said that a preliminary report suggestedthat the central forces had to open fire in self-defence.
Accordingto the report, there was tension at booth no 126 at Amtali in Jor Patki villagein Sitalkuchi since the morning and as there were more than 400 people in frontof the booth, the central forces tried to disperse the mob. When they weretrying to move the mob away from the booth more people started rushing in andtried to snatch the firearms from the security forces. This prompted the forceto open fire in which four people were killed.
TheElection Commission asked for a detailed report from CEO Ariz Aftab. Deputyelection commissioner in-charge of West Bengal Sudip Jain asked the CEO to senda detailed report including video footage of the incident. Jain also wanted toknow what led the force to open fire on the people. The poll body assured of animpartial inquiry into the incident.
Inanother incident a first-time voter Ananda Baraman (18), son of Jagadish Barmanof Pathantuli, Golenawhati GP, Sitalkuchi, Cooch Behar died when he was shotfrom a firearm by unknown miscreants after he cast his vote and came out fromthe polling booth. He was brought to the local health center (BPHC) atSitalkuchi where he was declared dead. His mother was also injured in theincident, the police said.
"Policereached there and detained two suspects for their involvement in the saidincident. Raid is going on at the probable hideouts of the suspected accusedpersons whose names have surfaced at the local level during preliminaryinquiry. Additional S.P, Mathabhanga and OC Sitalkuchi P.S also visited the P.Oand supervised the incident. Additional S.P, Mathabhanga is campingthere," a senior police officer said.