West Bengal polls: Crude bomb attack, voter intimidation allegation and TMC vs Humayun Kabir in Murshidabad

Murshidabad :

Several people were injured after some unidentified persons hurled a crude bomb in the Murshidabad district of West Bengal on Thursday, as phase one of polling continues in the state. The incident happened in Nowda, which triggered panic among the locals.

"They were abusing us... We don't bother anyone," a person, who was injured in the attack, told news agency PTI. 

Following the incident, the security was heightened in the Murshidabad district, which has been marred by consistent violence and henceforth has been kept under surveillance by the Election Commission of India (ECI). "Strong action will be taken. A report has been sought regarding the incident," Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Manoj Agarwal said, as quoted by PTI, after the incident.

Scuffle between TMC, Humayun Kabir

Later, a scuffle also broke out between Trinamool Congress (TMC) workers and Aam Janata Unnayan Party (AUJP) founder Humayun Kabir in Murshidabad. Kabir, an expelled Trinamool leader, was trying to visit the area where a crude bomb attack was reported, but was stopped by TMC workers, leading to the scuffle.

A video was also shared by news agency ANI that showed several TMC workers smashing a car that reportedly belonged to a supporter of Kabir's party.

"In Nowda, Rejinagar and all 22 seats of Murshidabad, peaceful elections are taking place. But in two booths of Nowda here, in number 9 and number 10, some incident happened overnight. They snatched the bags of local Police," Kabir told ANI. "TMC is a party of thieves... The people of Nowda have rejected them."

 

EVM glitches, allegation of voter intimidation

As the phase one polling is being held in Murshidabad, the polling was halted at booth number 156 in Parsalika Madanmohan Primary School in the Beldanga assembly segment and at booth number 212 in the Samsherganj assembly constituency after glitches were reported in Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) there. 

Allegation of voter intimidation was also made in Murshidabad's Domkal after which the Election Commission of India (ECI) sought a report from the officials. As per a report by PTI, voters alleged that they were being threatened and intimidated from reaching the polling station, with many even claiming that neither the local police nor the central forces were seen in the area on Thursday morning.

Although the situation improved later in the day, with a large police contingent, along with central forces, arriving at the Raipur village in Domkal, with the poll body saying that voters were subsequently escorted to polling booths under security cover.