At least seven people, including a woman, have been killed in fresh poll-related violence in West Bengal on Monday, taking the total toll in the ongoing rural body election to 17.

Till Sunday, at least 10 people were killed in poll-related political clashes here in the State. While 4 people were killed after the second phase of the elections on July 15, six others died after the third phase on July 19. Panchayat polls were held across the districts of Malda, Birbhum, Murshidabad and Nadia today. So far, polling across nine of the 17 districts has been completed.

“Voter turnout in these districts remained around 75 per cent till 5 p.m.,” Tapas Ray, Secretary, West Bengal State Election Commission, said.

Turnout is expected to rise later, since voting across many of the booths are yet to be completed, he said. The fifth phase of the rural polls will be held in the remaining four North Bengal districts on July 25.

Left Front Chairman Biman Bose, however, claimed that three deaths were reported from the Birbhum district and two other deaths from Murshidabad.

One person was killed in Malda, while another death was reported from Nadia.

The fourth phase of the three-tier Panchayat polls saw a triangular fight between the Trinamool Congress, Congress and Left Front. Police sources, however, claimed that two people died in Birbhum. Two persons died last night in Birbhum while making crude bombs, a senior police official said.

In Malda, a voter was killed after CRPF (Central Reserve Police Force) personnel opened fire.

Angry voters had resorted to stone-pelting in one of the booths after they complained of slow-moving queues.

Meanwhile, incidents of violence were reported from across all the four districts which went to polls today.

Unconfirmed reports state that at least three kids were injured when a crude bomb went off at a candidate’s residence in Malda.

Other incidents of shooting and bomb hurling were also reported from Murshidabad district.

abhishek.l@thehindu.co.in

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