Deganga: Locals allege Central forces fired in air

Kolkata: Allegations of Central forces firing in open air surfaced from Deganga in North 24-Parganas during the 5th phase elections on Saturday.

The local residents alleged that the Central forces fired in air a few metres away from 215 number polling booth at Kurulgacha in Deganga.

Though nobody sustained any injuries but it allegedly created a sense of apprehension among the voters who had queued infront of the polling booth.

The sudden firing brought back memories of the firing by CISF jawans at Sitalkuchi in Cooch Behar on April 10 during the 4th phase of elections in which four persons were killed. The Election Commission sought report from the district administration and informed that there was no firing by Central forces at that particular place.

"We were sitting under a tree at a reasonable distance from the polling booth when the Central forces came and chased us away sporting their sticks. When we started running away they suddenly fired 4-5 rounds in open air. A few of us fell down amidst the commotion and sustained minor injuries," a villager said.

The local Trinamool Congress leadership alleged that the Central forces ransacked a number of chairs at their temporary camp office beyond 200 metres of the polling booth with the intention to drive them away from the spot. "We overheard them whispering among themselves that there were no flags of BJP at that particular place," a TMC supporter manning the camp office said.

"They (Central forces) have fired at Deganga. They are indulging in excess which is not desired on their part," Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar, TMC MP said.

The Central forces allegedly lathicharged without any provocation while TMC supporters were having their lunch at a camp office related to the polling booth at Chandanpur Primary School in Barasat. Some TMC supporters sustained injuries because of the lathicharge.

TMC further alleged excesses on the part of Central forces of harassment of voters and influencing them to vote for BJP at a booth in Sandeshkhali and some other places in North 24-Parganas district where 16 Assembly constituencies witnessed polls on Saturday.