Kolkata | A BJP and a Trinamool Congress worker were killed in separate incidents of post-poll violence in West Bengal on Tuesday, police said.
BJP worker Madhu Mondal died after being allegedly beaten up by TMC workers during a victory procession in the New Town area on Tuesday evening. TMC worker Abir Sheikh was hacked to death allegedly by BJP activists at Nanoor in Birbhum earlier in the day, police said.
In New Town, Mondal was thrashed, allegedly by TMC workers following an argument, as a victory procession of the BJP was passing by in Bhalliguri area, a senior police officer said.
He was taken to hospital and declared brought dead, prompting attacks by BJP activists on residences of TMC workers in the area and a road blockade later on. The Central forces had to be deployed to bring normalcy, the officer said.
Earlier in the day, Sheikh was hacked to death in a clash in the Nanoor area.
A senior police officer said Sheikh, TMC's Nanoor Anchal Committee member, was hacked to death during an argument with "another group", at Santoshpur village under Nanoor.
Sheikh died on the spot while another person, whose identity was not known, was injured, he said, adding police reinforcements were rushed to the area where tension prevailed.
The TMC MLA-elect from Nanoor, Bidhan Majhi, claimed that Sheikh was an active member of the party and was killed by BJP goons in the area.
However, BJP leader Shyamapada Mondal said none of their party members was involved in the attack and police should undertake a free and fair investigation to find out the accused.
TMC MP Sagarika Ghosh also shared a video of the body with a caption "horrifying, chilling".
In a post on X, Ghosh said, "TMC worker killed in widespread violence".
The TMC said in its official X handle, "brutal murder of our party worker in Birbhum's Nanoor. Modi's idea of poriborton begins. Deceased name Abir SK." The party in another post claimed an old woman was brutally attacked by BJP workers in Alipurduar town. "She has sustained multiple injuries on head too," the TMC said, attaching a purported image of the woman.
PTI, however, could not independently verify the authenticity of the video.
In earlier incidents of arson, the election office of TMC candidate and former minister Aroop Biswas was vandalised by a mob at Bijoygarh-Netajinagar area of Tollygunje. Some among the crowd were seen kicking the broken hoarding before leaving.
At Ruby Crossing, Kasba, the office of TMC councillor Sushanta Ghosh was rampaged by a crowd holding BJP flags.
In Panihati Assembly constituency, where the RG Kar Hospital rape-murder victim's mother, Ratna Debnath, trounced TMC's Tirthankar Ghosh by 28,836 votes, an office of the Mamata Banerjee-led party changed hands overnight as a mob vandalised the room and tore down posters and hoardings.
"Their goons led a violent attack on our party office in Murshidabad. Vandalism and chaos -- this is the real face of the BJP. This marks the BJP's descent into gutter politics," it said.
Alleging that its candidate at Udaynarayanpur in Howrah was assaulted, the party said, "Brutal attack on our candidate Samir Panja was a testament to their violent mindset. This is not democracy; this is sheer thuggery."
TMC candidate in north Kolkata's Maniktala, Shreya Pande, shared on social media a clip of a middle-aged party leader with his shirt soaked in blood and alleged that the man was her election agent who was beaten up by BJP workers after the counting of votes.
She lost to the BJP's Tapas Roy by a margin of 15,644 votes.
The TMC posted on social media a video purportedly showing its party office in Siliguri being set ablaze. PTI could not independently verify the authenticity of the footage.
Condemning the incidents, TMC posted on X to say, "The BJP has shown its true colours right after coming to power." An Election Commission official said strict action will be taken against those involved in the rampage and assault, and reports have been sought from the local police to initiate follow-up action.
BJP Leader Rahul Sinha, however, rejected the charge that any of his party's workers were involved in vandalism, saying it might be the handiwork of rival factions within the TMC, who were letting out their frustration at party leaders following the election results.
Sinha condemned the violence, but said that it "cannot be matched with the 2021 situation when our office bearers were attacked by TMC immediately after the counting and several party offices were set on fire, with the state police not taking action".
"This time, however, police and central security forces were taking prompt action," he said.
Kolkata | The Election Commission on Tuesday directed West Bengal Chief Secretary Dushyant Nariala, DGP Siddh Nath Gupta and central armed police forces (CAPFs) to enforce a zero-tolerance approach towards any incidents of post-poll violence in the state, a senior official said.
The EC issued the directive after two persons were allegedly killed in separate incidents of violence in the state during the day, besides scores of party offices being ransacked.
"Clear instructions have been given to ensure that peace prevails and any attempt to disrupt it is dealt with firmly. The EC has asked all authorities concerned to act decisively against any form of post-poll violence. There has to be zero tolerance, irrespective of who is involved," the official said.
Both state authorities and central forces have been told to remain vigilant and respond promptly to any untoward incidents, he said.
"Adequate deployment and close coordination between the administration and CAPFs have been emphasised to ensure that the situation remains under control," he added.
