West Bengal polls: Over 52% voter turnout till 1 PM

More than 180 people were arrested for bogus voting and booth jamming

Over 52% voter turnout was recorded till 1 PM during the fourth phase of West Bengal Assembly elections for 49 seats today, while more than 180 people were arrested in various poll-related incidents.

Till 1 PM, 52.12% voters cast their votes in North 24 Parganas district while the corresponding figure in Howrah was 52.43%.

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Overall, 52.22% voter turnout was recorded for 49 seats in the two districts after polling began at 7 AM, officials said.

North 24 Parganas District Election Officer Manmeet Nanda said so far 180 people had been arrested in different poll-related incidents.

In Dum Dum North constituency, CPI(M) candidate Tanmay Bhattacharya sustained injuries on his hand after stones were hurled at his car. Three persons were arrested, Barrackpore Police Commissioner Niraj Singh said.

So far, 110 people were arrested in Barrackpore police commissionerate area for bogus voting, booth jamming and being outsiders, Singh said.

Two other persons were arrested this morning in connection with an attack on the house of a family known for their affiliation to CPI(M) in Halishahar last night, he said.

In Beejpur seat, a family of CPI-M supporters alleged that their three-and-half-year-old child was beaten up.

West Bengal CPI-M secretary Surjya Kanta Mishra said, "Unnerved TMC goons targeting all. From the 3.5-year-old child to the Left candidate. Even women were not spared. People will give a rebuff by ousting TMC".

In Howrah north seat, Trinamool candidate Laxmi Ratan Shukla has complained alleging that his co-contestant and BJP leader Roopa Ganguly entered booths and "threatened" presiding officers, disrupting the polling process.

Ganguly on the other hand accused the presiding officer at Salkia of being "biased".

BJP candidate Locket Chatterjee was seen engaging in a war of words with a polling agent in Ariadaha where she went to cast her vote.