The unrest follows a night of violence marked by allegations of crude bomb attacks, door-to-door intimidation and clashes that left several people injured. Competing narratives emerged from both sides, ISF accusing ruling TMC leaders of orchestrating fear, while TMC pointed fingers at police excesses and dismissed claims of targeted attacks.
Tension gripped West Bengal’s Bhangar on polling day as political rivalry spilled onto the streets, with protests, sloganeering and sharp confrontations underscoring the electoral battle. The flashpoint centred around Indian Secular Front (ISF) MLA Naushad Siddique, who faced protests from locals even as rival camps traded charges of intimidation, exposing the volatile ground situation in the run-up to voting.
The unrest follows a night of violence marked by allegations of crude bomb attacks, door-to-door intimidation and clashes that left several people injured. Competing narratives emerged from both sides, ISF accusing ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) leaders of orchestrating fear, while TMC pointed fingers at police excesses and dismissed claims of targeted attacks. With tensions escalating, central agencies have now stepped in, signalling the seriousness of the situation.
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Protests erupted around Naushad Siddique in the Saihati area, where “Joy Bangla” slogans were allegedly raised by TMC workers outside a polling booth.
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As Siddique arrived, some locals confronted him, alleging he had been largely absent and had done little for the area. Hitting back, the ISF MLA said, “They are Trinamool agents. I have carried out development work worth ₹30 lakh in the area.”
Escalating his attack, Siddique accused the ruling party’s local leadership of attempting to influence voters through fear.
“Since last night, as seen in the viral video, the GP head has been going to houses and threatening people not to vote. Bombs have also been thrown in some places. But let me tell you one thing: the people of Bhangar will not be intimidated. People here are ready. We will defeat TMC and send them home. We will enter the assembly again with a margin of over 50,000 votes,” he said.
He added that complaints had been formally submitted, stating, “Absolutely. We are emailing reports of every incident they have caused since yesterday. We have all the documents. We aren’t going to let this go… We respect law and order and the rules, but we will file cases in court against those who break them.”
TMC candidate Saokat Molla offered a sharply different account, accusing the police of excesses during overnight operations.
“We never saw what we saw last night. Police were indulging in hooliganism. This is not good for us. A few police personnel were going from door to door and broke down some of them. They beat up some people, and they are in hospital. This hooliganism continued all through the night. This was an attempt to scare off people. But the supporters and workers of the TMC will not be scared… The election will go in favour of the TMC,” he said.
Rejecting Siddique’s allegations, Molla added, “There’s no truth to that. It was a minor issue where people from both sides were injured. Naushad Siddiqui is just making these claims with the help of his supporters.”
#WATCH | West Bengal Elections 2026 | South 24 Parganas: On violence last night, TMC candidate from Bhangar, Saokat Molla says, “We never saw what we saw last night. Police were indulging in hooliganism. This is not good for us. A few Police personnel were going from door to door… pic.twitter.com/zTZRB1JHDc
— ANI (@ANI) April 29, 2026
In a significant development, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has taken over the probe into crude bomb blasts and recoveries reported from Bhangar. An NIA team reached the area to assume control of the investigation, though the accused remain at large.
Security has been intensified across sensitive pockets, with central forces, state police and NIA personnel maintaining close surveillance. Area domination exercises have also been carried out in villages such as Satoli to prevent further flare-ups.
#WATCH | West Bengal: In Bhangar, NIA team, state police and central forces are keeping a close watch on various sensitive areas. The administration is on high alert to ensure peaceful and fair voting.
Voting is being held today for the second and final phase of the West Bengal… pic.twitter.com/9EpRBWa6CW
— ANI (@ANI) April 29, 2026
The Election Commission has rolled out an extensive security grid for the second and final phase of polling in West Bengal, reflecting concerns over recurring poll violence.
More than 41,000 polling stations have been set up, with over 2,400 companies of central forces deployed. Webcasting is being carried out across booths, alongside special arrangements including women-managed and model polling stations.
The heightened vigil comes amid a fierce political contest, with Bhangar emerging as one of the most sensitive constituencies where every development is being closely watched.
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