Panchayat elections: One person "suspected" to be dead at polling booth in South 24 Parganas

South 24 Parganas (West Bengal) [India], July 8 : Amid the violence that has broken out in several districts of West Bengal, a person has been fatally injured and is "suspected" to be dead as a bomb hit his head in Phul Malancha polling booth in South 24 Pargana district, the police said on Saturday.

"One person is suspected to be dead and yet to be declared by the doctors. The bomb hit the victim's head. He has been sent to Basanti rural hospital," said Dibakar Das, Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO).

Several incidents of election-related violence have been reported from different districts in West Bengal, with the ruling Trinamool Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party accusing each other of killing their party workers.

Several incidents of ballot box and ballot paper looting as well as destruction were reported from numerous polling booths in the state.

State Leader of Opposition Adhikari toldthat till 3 pm, over 15 people have died in the violence. "West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose is trying his best to save lives and restore peace. But, his appeal has gone waste as the election-related violence continued in the state," he said.

"Now it is 3 pm, and more than 15 people have been brutally killed by the goons. More than 20,000 booths have been captured by TMC hooligans, in the presence of state police. CAPF is totally non-functioning due to the non-cooperation of the district police," Adhikari added.

He said that Bengal Governor should send a report to the Centre. "The state is burning and the Centre should intervene with either Article 355 or Article 356 (President's Rule)," he said.

The panchayat elections are underway in West Bengal, with the counting of votes scheduled on July 11. The ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have locked horns in a fierce tussle for control of local administration. The outcome of the polls will be a litmus test for both parties ahead of next year's Lok Sabha elections.