Bengal polls: 4 killed as central forces ’open fire’ after being attacked

mangaloretoday.com/ Yahoo

Kolkata, April 10, 2021:     Four persons were killed as CISF personnel allegedly opened fire after coming under attack from locals, who ’attempted to snatch their rifles’, in West Bengal’s Cooch Behar district on Saturday, police said.

 

The incident took place in the Sitalkuchi area when voting was underway, a senior police officer said.

Speaking to an Election Commission official over phone, Chatterjee said she was attacked by locals at polling booth number 66 in Hooghly. She also claimed that media professionals were attacked during the incident.

’As per 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,’ he said.

 

West Bengal: Media vehicles covering West Bengal Assembly elections attacked in Hooghly pic.twitter.com/thukqWWJL7

— ANI (@ANI) April 10, 2021

Election officials said a report on the incident has been sought from the district officials.

First-time voter shot dead

A first-time voter was allegedly shot dead on Saturday in Cooch Behar district of West Bengal, where 15.85 per cent polling was recorded till 9 am in the fourth phase of assembly elections amid sporadic incidents of violence, officials said.

In a shocking incident, an 18-year-old voter, Ananda Barman, was allegedly gunned down by miscreants outside booth number 85 in Pathantuli area after clashes broke out between activists of the ruling TMC and the BJP.

The culprits, who are yet to be identified, managed to flee, the officials said.

The incident led to violence in the area as bombs were hurled, prompting central forces to baton-charge to bring the situation under control, police said.