West Bengal elections: Candidate thrashed, crude bomb hurled, 41 held amid sporadic violence in ph-1

NAODA/MALDA/SURI: Forty-one people were arrested as episodes of sporadic violence were reported across parts of Bengal in the first phase of polling.

Five were held after BJP candidate Subhendu Sarkar alleged he was assaulted by villagers at Kumarganj. Sarkar first alleged BJP agents were denied entry at Banihari booth. Around noon, he reached the spot and sat there. As the situation normalised, he left.

Trouble broke out again as BJP agents were driven away. Sarkar returned, chased an allegedly armed youth, and entered the village. He was mobbed and thrashed before security personnel rescued him.

Sarkar alleged agents at multiple polling stations were "forcibly removed," and when he went to Booth 24, TMC workers attacked him and his team. He also alleged central forces deployed at the station were absent during the attack.

Naoda in Murshidabad, 35km from Berhampore, was a flashpoint—in an otherwise largely peaceful election across Murshidabad—prompting the Election Commission to seek reports.

Trouble flared Wednesday night at Shibnagar village when Trinamool candidate and sitting MLA Shahina Mumtaz Khan alleged a crude bomb was hurled at her car while visiting a party worker's home. The bomb did not explode near her car but injured another woman, Jahanara Bibi, who was passing by. She suffered severe injuries and was admitted to Murshidabad Medical College and Hospital.

A large team of central forces was positioned at the village through the night.

TMC blamed the attack on Humayun Kabir's Aam Janata Unnayan Party (AJUP). Kabir denied the allegation, saying Khan was like his sister and he would never attack her.

Clashes continued through the morning between Kabir's supporters and Trinamool workers. Police resorted to a lathicharge to disperse the crowd. The EC sought a report on the vandalism.

In a controversial remark, Kabir suggested retaliation was justified if provoked. "If someone throws stones, should we respond with sweets and kisses?" he said, denying involvement in the bomb attack.

Tensions escalated when Kabir faced protests while visiting another booth in Shibnagar. Locals surrounded him, raising "go back" and "chor chor" slogans. The situation spiralled into a scuffle as Kabir allegedly charged towards protesters before police and central forces intervened.

Kabir later staged a road blockade, accusing Trinamool of orchestrating violence to disrupt polling.

In the third major incident, Khayrasole under Dubrajpur assembly constituency turned tense Thursday afternoon following EVM tampering allegations. Villagers alleged that whenever they voted for the Trinamool candidate at booth 65 in Budhpur Primary School, the vote was registered for the BJP candidate. Polling officers stopped voting. A mob grew furious and the situation turned violent. When central force jawans tried to disperse the mob, the crowd pelted stones. Security forces chased away the mob.

Several persons, including CAPF jawans and state police, sustained injuries. More troops were sent to control the situation. The injured were taken to a local health centre and later to Suri district hospital.

Birbhum SP Surya Pratap Yadav said in the afternoon: "So far, three have been arrested. A raid is underway. The situation is under control.
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