West Bengal panchayat polls: One killed, two critical after being shot in North Dinajpur

At least one person was killed and two others got critically injured after being allegedly shot in West Bengal’s North Dinajpur district on Thursday when they were on their way to file nominations for the panchayat polls, officials said.

CPI(M) state secretary Md Salim said they were supporters of the Left Front and the Congress, and the incident happened when they were going to the Chopra block office for filing nominations.

#WATCH | West Bengal: Unrest erupts in South 24 Parganas district on the last day of nomination for state panchayat polls pic.twitter.com/MOp7IJs6qj

— ANI (@ANI) June 15, 2023

After being shot, the three persons were taken to the district hospital where one of them died during treatment, officials said.

The conditions of the other two persons were critical, they said.

State Election Commissioner Rajiva Sinha declined to comment on the incident, saying that he was yet to receive a report regarding it.

Salim alleged that the TMC was behind the attack.

“Activists and candidates have been fired upon by TMC goons just now in North Dinajpur’s Chopra block. Left-INC supporters were going to Block office for filing nomination #PanchayatElection2023,” he tweeted.

The ruling TMC dismissed the allegation.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has accused the opposition parties of trying to malign the state by orchestrating violence while filing nominations for the panchayat polls.

Talking to reporters outside a party office at Maheshtala near here, Banerjee, also the Trinamool Congress supremo, asserted that those who “were non-performers” have been denied tickets by the party this time.

“Opposition parties are trying to create disturbances by orchestrating violence while filing nominations. They are doing it to tarnish the state’s image. The CPI(M) is behind today’s violence in the Chopra area (in Uttar Dinajpur district), and ISF is attacking our party workers in Bhangore (South 24 Parganas),” she said.

#WATCH | South 24 Parganas, West Bengal | "Our party had no hand in the issues that occurred in Islampur and other places. We didn't give tickets to the people who did this. They had demanded tickets but going by their track record, we didn't give them one. I have told Police to… pic.twitter.com/0K97xwaqau

— ANI (@ANI) June 15, 2023

Incidents of violence were also reported from Bhangar in South 24 Parganas district, and Saithia in Birbhum district over the filing of nominations on the last day.

Polling for nearly 75,000 seats in the three-tier Panchayati Raj system will be held on July 8.

(With inputs from PTI)

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