Kolkata, May 12: Violence after the panchayat elections in West Bengal continued claiming eight more lives taking the number of people killed to 23 since yesterday while repoll was held in 98 booths across the state today. Altogether 15 people fell victim to clashes and bomb explosions during yesterday's panchayat poll. Of the eight killed since last night, six belonged to CPI(M) while two others were activists of RSP and the Jharkhand Party respectively, police sources here said. A Jharkhand Party supporter was shot dead today by the CPI(M) activists at Belia village under Jamboni police station in West Midnapore district today, police said adding that another JP supporter was seriously injured in a clash with Marxists in the same area.
Two CPI(M) supporters who were seriously injured in post-poll violence at Ghang village in Jambani police station yesterday, succumbed to their injuries at Midnapore Sadar hospital during the day, the sources said. The bodies of another three CPI(M) supporters, killed in a clash with Congress activists, were recovered late last night from Chargopalpur and Rosannagar area under Islampur police station in Murshidabad district, the sources said. The body of Basudev Bhakat, a CPI(M) candidate abducted allegedly by Jharkhand Party activists last evening in West Midnapore district was found from Panchami forest early this morning, the sources said. Para-military Eastern Frontier Rifles, Rapid Action Force and CRPF were deployed in Jhargram, a Jharkhand Party stronghold, as a precautionary measure. Bureau Report