Man killed in post-poll violence in Nanoor

A person was today killed in a clash between two armed groups, allegedly belonging to rival political parties, in Nanoor of West Bengal's Birbhum district, four days after CPI-M's Shyamali Pradhan defeated sitting TMC MLA Gadadhar Hazra in the Assembly polls.
Two groups clashed with crude bombs and firearms at Singhi hamlet in Nanoor which gradually spread to adjacent Gidaha village, a senior police officer said.
On receiving information, police force went to the area but the groups escaped and one Khokon Seikh was found lying in a field with fatal injuries, the officer said, refusing to divulge the political identity of the two groups.

Khokon was declared dead at a hospital, the officer said, adding, heavy police reinforcements were sent to the area where the situation was tense but is now under control.
TMC denied the allegation claiming that the "attack was engineered by CPI-M".
Hazra, the sitting TMC MLA and loyalist of party's Birbhum strongman Anubrata Mondal, had lost the Nanoor seat raising allegations of sabotage within the party.

Denying the allegation, Mondal said, "We don't believe in the politics of murder. So far I know CPI-M backed goons attacked the village and looted houses of our supporters."
Pradhan, the newly-elected CPI-M MLA, said "Our workers are in no way involved in this clash. Above all the victim himself had uttered the names of his killers."

Meanwhile, some crude bombs kept in a container was recovered from a "party office" at Baliguni locality in Nanoor during the raids, the police officer said.
The CPI-M and BJP claimed the bombs were found from TMC office but the ruling party said, "it was a conspiracy".