Except for stray incidents, 1st phase polls by & large peaceful in Bengal

Siliguri: Except for a few incidents of sporadic violence the first phase passed off by at large peacefully.

Cooch Behar, Alipurduar and Jalpaiguri went to polls on Thursday. A CRPF personnel lost his life reportedly from illness. At 5 pm the polling stood at 79.33 per cent in Jalpaiguri; 77.73 per cent in Cooch Behar and 75.54 per cent in Alipurduar.

Both the TMC and BJP engaged in a war of nerves, with the TMC taking out ‘victory rallies’ on Thursday evening in all three districts.

While incidents of sporadic violence continued throughout the day and even when EVMs were being transported to the strongrooms in Cooch Behar; Jalpaiguri and Alipurduar witnessed peaceful polls.

Sitalkuchi witnessed violence throughout the day. Allegations have been levelled against BJP for trying to loot the EVMs in front of Sitalkuchi school.

Five bombs were lobbed when the EVMs were being transported. Four of the bombs exploded while the last one was recovered by security forces. “About 150 to 200 supporters of BJP were sitting standing 15m away when the EVMs were being transported. They lobbed the bombs. Immediately the police personnel fled. After nearly an hour enforcements arrived and without asking or understanding anything they started a baton charge on TMC supporters who had prevented the EVM loot by the BJP,” alleged Tapan Guha, TMC Block president.

In Jalpaiguri, polls passed off peacefully.

Except for some incidents of scuffles revolving around BJP MLA Sikha Chatterjee’s visit to booths in Dabgram-Fulbari Assembly constituency in Jalpaiguri, polls passed off peacefully. Long queues were seen at the booths of all the gardens in Raipur, Karlavally, Minglas, Baradighi, besides the closed gardens adjacent to

Jalpaiguri town.

Voting took place under the supervision of CAPF and forest workers in booths adjacent to forest areas.

Dijpratim Sen, Divisional Forest Officer (DFO,) said: “There are more than 60 booths in forest areas. Since Thursday forest workers have been deployed in these booths to prevent any wildlife attack.” Alipurduar painted a festive picture with no reports of any scuffle or violence.