FIVE people were killed, including four in the firing by CISF personnel, during the fourth phase of polling on Saturday for 44 Assembly seats of West Bengal, triggering a political firestorm. Four people were killed as Central forces opened fire allegedly after coming under attack from locals, who “attempted to snatch their rifles”, in West Bengal’s Cooch Behar district, police said.

 

The Election Commission ordered stopping the voting exercise at polling station number 126 in Sitalkuchi where the incident happened when polling was underway. “According to preliminary reports, four persons were killed as CISF personnel opened fire after coming under attack in a village. “A scuffle took place, and locals gheraoed them and attempted to snatch their rifles, following which the Central forces opened fire. Further details are awaited,” a police official said. The EC has sought a detailed report on the incident. According to official sources, the preliminary report submitted by EC’s special police observer Vivek Dubey said a huge mob of around 350-400 people had gheraoed the Central forces, following which they fired in “self-defence”. The incident led to violence in the area where bombs were hurled, prompting central forces to baton-charge to bring the situation under control.

 

In another incident, an 18-year-old voter, Ananda Barman, was gunned down outside booth number 85 in Pathantuli, also in Sitalkuchi, after clashes broke out between activists of the ruling TMC and the BJP. 71 more CAPF companies rushed to West Bengal: THE EC on Saturday directed the Union Home Ministry to deploy 71 additional companies of Central Armed Police forces (CAPFs) in West Bengal for the conduct of the remaining four phases of polls, official sources said. The order comes against the backdrop of multiple incidents of poll violence in the State, including the one on Saturday in Cooch Behar where police said four people were killed in firing by CISF personnel, who had retaliated after allegedly being attacked.