Kolkata: Bengal's panchayat poll turf remained a picture of lawlessness, with clashes between workers of rival political parties, bomb attacks on candidates’ houses, vandalism and disruptive protests keeping several districts on the boil.
At Raghunathganj in Murshidabad, four TMC workers were wounded in fighting with rivals from Congress. Four people suspected to be involved in the clashes were arrested. Raninagar, another restive Murshidabad pocket, erupted after Congress candidate Kuddus Ali’s house being ransacked. Congress and CPM supporters swamped the state highway in Berhampore in the morning to protest the mayhem.
Police recovered crude bombs from many locations in Raghunathganj, Hariharpara, Salar and Rejinagar. Two people were arrested at Contai in East Midnapore for making crude bombs. In Karimpur, Nadia, the house of BJP candidate Saraswati Biswas was ransacked. Purulia’s Raghunathpur witnessed clashes between TMC and CPM workers. The house of a TMC worker was ransacked, while CPM alleged homes of several of its workers were vandalised too. Many villagers were forced to flee, sources said.
In Siliguri, TMC youth wing leader Jayabrata Mukhuti was hospitalised after being attacked with weapons. A suspect identified as Jhantu Saha was arrested.