Panchayat polls violence: Home Ministry seeks reports from WB Govt

The Ministry of Home Affairs on Monday sought a report from the West Bengal Government regarding incidents of violence during Panchayat Election in the state.

The state has been witnessing violent clashes between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Trinamool Congress (TMC) workers since the filing of nominations for the election back in April.

During the polling earlier in the day, clashes erupted yet again resulting in the death of 12 people while many were injured.

Clashes also broke out between TMC and Congress supporters in Murshidabad.

Amid the violence, a voting booth was allegedly vandalised by TMC workers in North Dinajpur's Sonadangi.

In Murshidabad, ballot boxes were looted at gunpoint by unidentified persons, and in antoher instance, some ballot papers were thrown in a pond after a clash between TMC and BJP workers.

A ballot box was also retrieved from a pond in Sonadangi.

The clashes between the two parties also led to vandalism of vehicles in Raniganj area of Asansol during the time of voting.

The voting, which began at 7 a.m. on Monday morning, ended at 5 p.m. in 621 Zilla Parishads, 6157 panchayat samitis, and 31,827 gram panchayats.

The counting will take place on May 17.