Kolkata, May 11: Sixteen people, including seven CPI(M) activists, were killed in clashes between rival political groups as widespread violence and snatching of ballots today marred panchayat polls in West Bengal even as an estimated 65 percent of voters exercised their franchise. Among those killed were two women activists of SUCI, besides two Congress activists and the father of a Trinamool Congress candidate, DIG of police (HQ) N C Ghosh said. He said two SUCI women activists were killed at Joynagar and two CPI(M) workers at Canning in poll clashes in South 24 Parganas district. Father of Trinamool Congress candidate Lutfar Rahman for Khamarpara panchayat samity, Haji Anwar Ali was shot dead at his home in Madanpur in Barasat in North 24 Parganas, he said. In Sibdaspur, also in North 24 Parganas, CPI(M) supporter Sheikh Salim was killed in a poll related clash. There was no polling in the area till noon following the incident, Ghosh said. Another CPI(M) activist was killed in Jalpaiguri district and a Congress worker at Thalarpur in Nadia district, he said. At Murshidabad, two CPI(M) supporters were killed when they clashed with a Congress activists while Congress supporter Manirul Sheikh was killed at Ranitala when bombs were hurled at people waiting to cast their ballots in front of two booths, he said. State electoral officer Ajay Sinha said an estimated 65 percent of the electorate cast their votes and the figure would go up as people were in queue inside booths after closing of polling hours at 1700 hours. Congress gram panchayat candidate Hakib Sheikh and two others were killed when the bombs they were making in Murshidabad district burst. The bodies were found this morning at Domkal, Saranpur and Raninagar areas, Murshidabad superintendent of police, Virender said.

The DIG (HQ) said that 75 persons had been arrested for poll related violence. Ajay Sinha said repoll was likely in 32 booths in Nadia, Purulia, Birbhum, Howrah, west Midnapore, east Midnapore, Hooghly, North 24 Parganas, north Dinajpur and Murshidabad due to ballot paper snatching, besides wrong printing and wrong distribution of the ballots. Polling began late in some areas because of late arrival of ballot papers, Sinha said. Polling was temporarily suspended at Binpur under Midnapur West district and in Domjur in Howrah and Chopra in Nadia for disturbance during distribution of ballot papers.

Bureau Report