Lynching of a polling agent of the Trinamul Congress and a CPM cadre in Katwa and Ausgram marked polling in East Burdwan where in most of the ‘disturbed’ polling booths, the central forces were ‘conspicuously’ absent or were outnumbered. Gautam Roy (63), an elderly polling agent of the Trinamul Congress was dragged out of the polling booth at Nandigram, under Sribati panchayat in Katwa, allegedly by CPM cadres and was lynched. He’s a retired government employee.

Rabindranath Chatterjee, district president of the TMC alleged, “Gautam was trying to oppose the Left-backed goons trying to loot ballot papers.” Brother of the deceased lodged a complaint against the CPM candidate Harinarayan Samanta and another cadre.

The police have quizzed the CPM candidate. CPM’s district secretary, Syed Hossen said, “The elderly person had returned home where he died after having his meal due to cardiac arrest.” A CPM cadre Razibul Haq (32) succumbed to his wounds at the SSKM Hospital today.

He was thrashed allegedly by the TMC supporters at Bishnupur village in Ausgram last evening. Bishnupur Primary School in Ausgram-II, where three polling booths are accommodated (Nos 7, 7A, 8), recorded clash between the TMC and CPM cadres last evening.

Trouble broke out when the CPM cadres went to inquire about the absence of central forces. This irked the TMC members and they allegedly attacked the cadres with bamboo logs. The Left cadres also retaliated but Razibul suffered severe head injuries and was referred to the SSKM Hospital where he succumbed to his grave wounds, the police said. Two TMC supporters have been arrested on murder charges.

The absence of the central forces triggered hot altercation, fierce clash and booth capturing in several villages across Galsi, Khandaghosh, Ausgram, Raina and Jamalpur blocks of East Burdwan today. At Mamudpur-1 panchayat in Monteswar, CPM candidate Sheikh Samshul was allegedly kidnapped by the TMC supporters and was thrashed.

At around 11:50 am he’s rescued and was shifted to the Burdwan Medical College and Hospital. Two CPM candidates, Tapas Chakraborty and Jayanta Bag along with Gautam Bose, husband of CPM candidate Uma Bose were thrashed allegedly by TMC supporters led by Mona Roy at Sehara panchayat in Raina-1. At Kurkuba in Galsi (Booth 262) and at Sultanpur in Berugram Panchayat (No 95) of Khandaghosh, masked TMC supporters allegedly looted ballots. The presiding officer suspended polling at Sultanpur.

East Burdwan district administration meanwhile claimed the district recorded 39.4 per cent polling till 1 pm. Polling meanwhile was suspended at Mukshimpara in Purbasthali-2 block due to faulty ballot papers.

CPM’s symbol was printed wrongly against the name of Aduri Khatun – the TMC candidate and TMC’s symbol was placed beside the name of CPM candidate Zulfikkar Begum. Meanwhile, Bankura recorded a peaceful polling today. At Amsole booth, under Dhulai panchsyat in Sonamukhi, nine persons suffered injuries when TMC and CPM supporters clashed.

A BJP candidate was thrashed allegedly by the TMC supporters at Baishpatra booth in Sarenga block when he’d been there for supervision. At Supur booth in Khatra tension scaled up between the TMC and CPM cadres.