EC criticises functioning of West Bengal police after a bomb blast in Burdwan

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Siliguri: The Election Commission on Tuesday (March 23) criticised the functioning of the superintendent of police of Purba Burdwan following the death of a child in a crude bomb blast in Rasikpur, sources said.

The full bench of the EC, including Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora, arrived in the city on Tuesday and held meetings with senior officials on the preparedness for the first phase of the assembly polls on March 27.

"The CEC took stock of the situation and directed all officials concerned to ensure that free and fair polling takes place in the state.

"He also criticised the functioning of the SP of Purba Burdwan and the CP of Barrackpore Police Commissionerate in the wake of the recent blast," they said.

A seven-year-old boy was killed and another child injured in a crude bomb explosion in Burdwan city on Monday (March 22).

The top election commission official has also asked police to improve its intelligence network in the state, the sources said.

Meanwhile, the EC decided to deploy more than 1,000 companies of central forces in West Bengal, they said.

"Most probably, all polling booths might be guarded by the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF)," they added.