West Bengal is no stranger to polling violence, which once again erupted on Saturday during the panchayat polls in the state, resulting to 12 people dying.
Voters in Kolkata s New Town area claim that they were stopped from voting in the West Bengal panchayat elections by "goons" blocking access to polling booths. Smart city residents belonging to the New Town Forum group had been protesting against their inclusion in the panchayat area and had also decided to boycott the polls. However, the group accused the ruling Trinamool Congress party of "using our boycott call to loot votes".
West Bengal reported at least 12 deaths and witnessed several incidents of violence and arson during the voting for the three-tiered panchayat polls in rural parts of the state on Saturday. Bombs, riggings, killings have long been a part of poll scene in West Bengal and so is the blame-game that follows., India News, Times Now
All 10 victims, including a child, were their family members who were charred to death inside their homes following the murder of Bhadu Sheikh, Trinamool Congres' deputy pradhan of Barshal panchayat.