Post-poll clashes hit West Bengal; TMC claims ‘offices attacked’

E-PaperSubscribeSubscribeEnjoy unlimited accessSubscribe Now! Get features like Hours after the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) sweeping victory in West Bengal, reports of post-poll violence emerged from several pockets of the state, with Trinamool Congress (TMC) leaders alleging that their party offices were attacked. Security personnel police BJP and TMC supporters during an altercation in Bankura on Monday. (ANI Video Grab)There were no reports of any casualties till the time of filing this report. In east Kolkata, a party office of TMC ward councillor Sushanta Kumar Ghosh was attacked late on Monday night. Ghosh’s supporters alleged that BJP workers were behind the incident. “A group of men, armed with lathis and rods, ransacked the office and set furniture and banners on fire. This happened hours after the BJP won the elections,” said a TMC supporter. Ghosh said on Tuesday morning: “I don’t want to comment. No police complaint has been lodged yet.” In Tollygunge, a party office of former state minister Arup Biswas was ransacked. Similar incidents were reported from Panihati in North 24 Parganas, Ghatal in West Midnapore, and Asansol in West Burdwan, where TMC offices were targeted. Three persons were injured in Mamudpur in Naihati after a BJP worker’s house was allegedly attacked by TMC-backed miscreants. A local club was also ransacked later. The two-phase assembly elections held in April were largely peaceful, with no reports of major untoward incidents. West Bengal recorded an average voter turnout of 92.93% across the two phases — the highest in the state since Independence. “After many years, West Bengal witnessed an election with no casualties. There was not a single crude bomb blast either. In 2021, at least 24 people were killed in pre-poll and poll-day clashes. In 2016, at least seven persons were killed. In 2016, more than 60 cases of crude bomb blasts were reported in which several persons were injured,” said a senior IPS official associated with the assembly polls. More than 2,400 companies of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) were deployed across the state during the elections. The Election Commission of India (ECI) has decided to retain around 500 companies in the state until further orders to prevent post-poll violence. Allegations of large-scale post-poll violence had also surfaced in 2021 after the TMC returned to power for a third consecutive term, following which the Calcutta High Court ordered a CBI probe into the incidents.