Kolkata, Apr 10: Four persons were allegedly shot dead by the Central Industrial Security Force outside a polling booth at the Sitalkuchi constituency in West Bengal’s Cooch Behar district on Saturday in the fourth phase of the Assembly elections.
Police sources said that the incident took place when the central forces were gheraoed by locals. They further claimed that there was a scuffle between central forces and locals.
According to sources, the incident took place at the polling booth in Sitalkuchi at around 10:00 am when a Quick Response Team (QRT) were allegedly attacked by unidentified persons.
One of the family members of the deceased said that the central forces suddenly opened fire. The Trinamool Congress (TMC) claimed that the deceased were their supporters.
“Eight people were injured when the Central Forces opened fire. Four of them died and the rest sustained injuries,” he said. The incident took place near a polling booth in Sitalkuchi.
Election Commission sources said that an action taken report has been sought in this regard.
"When you can’t beat us fair ‘n square, you shoot & kill. MO-SHA, you killers. At your command, EC recently changed DG, ADG of Bengal police and the SP of the area where killings took place today. 5 dead. You both have blood on your hands. But then you are used to the feeling," TMC MP and spokesperson Derek O'Brien tweeted.
Earlier in the day, an 18-year-old was allegedly shot dead while he was standing in a queue outside a polling booth in Sitalkuchi. His family members alleged that he was shot dead by TMC cadres. The deceased has been identified as Ananda Barman. Sources in the Election Commission said that two persons have been detained in relation to the case.
A total of five persons have been allegedly shot dead in the fourth phase of the West Bengal Assembly elections.
While the TMC alleged that the BJP was behind the killing, the saffron party claimed that the deceased was its polling agent at the booth and pointed the accusing finger at the ruling party in the state.
In a statement released by Trinamool Congre, the Mamata Banerjee-led party blamed "BJP miscreants" for the incident.
"Since morning BJP miscreants were blocking people's right to vote while CRPF was influencing voters to vote in favour of BJP. When TMC workers went to enquire why people were not being allowed to vote, BJP miscreants launched an attack creating an atmosphere of chaos, following which CRPF open fired leading to 5 TMC workers losing their lives," the TMC said in the statement.
"It is also sad that the Election Commission has still not come out with response on this dastardly attack. We strongly register our protest against this police-ordered killing. Shameful that the forces are acting like goons in uniform."
Meanwhile, Sitalkuchi's BJP candidate Baren Chandra Barman said that a deceased person was the party's polling agent at the booth and TMC activists were behind the murder.
"He was our polling agent and was going to the booth when TMC goons shot him dead. Rabindra Nath Ghosh's claim is a total lie. We have informed the SP and the ECI about the incident, demanding immediate arrest of the culprits," Barman said.
He also claimed that police or central forces were not present near the booth when the killing took place.
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