Malda: Malda continued to witness disturbing developments surrounding the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) hearings on Monday, as the hearing centre at Malda Zilla School in English Bazar turned into a virtual battleground. What began as long queues and voter grievances escalated into violent clashes between two groups, even in the presence of police, leaving several people injured, including women and an elderly person.
According to eyewitnesses, heated arguments over standing in queues suddenly turned violent, leading to a free-for-all inside the hearing centre premises. Several women were also assaulted during the clash. Despite complaints being verbally lodged with police personnel present at the spot, no immediate preventive action was taken, they claimed.
Among those injured was Asif Iqbal, an elected Congress member from Jadupur-1 Gram Panchayat under English Bazar block, who was allegedly attacked by a rival group. In retaliation, voters from Budhia area of Narhatta Gram Panchayat were also assaulted by supporters of the Congress leader. Amid the chaos, a 60-year-old woman, Reena Bibi, a resident of Jadupur, collapsed after being injured while standing in the queue. She was later shifted for medical treatment.
A relative of Reena Bibi said: “She is old and weak. She should never have been made to stand in such conditions.”
Sarif Hossain, who was injured in the clash, said: “There was chaos everywhere. We asked for help but no one listened until things went out of control.”
Asif Iqbal, injured Gram Panchayat member, said: “I was attacked inside the hearing centre. This is not a democratic process.”
Police intervened after the violence escalated, bringing the situation under control and deploying a large force at the hearing centre. Ashish Kundu, TMC district spokesperson, said: “This violence is the direct result of administrative failure and Election Commission mismanagement.”
The violence followed a series of troubling incidents earlier in the day. A woman voter, Razia Bibi of Narhatta area, fell seriously ill after being summoned for SIR hearings for three consecutive days and was rushed to the hospital. In another case, at Ward No. 15, Booth No. 163 of English Bazar Municipality, 617 voters were summoned at once out of 1,200, including a woman who had undergone a caesarean delivery just seven days ago.
Meanwhile, senior Trinamool Congress leaders, including ministers of state Sabina Yeasmin and Tajmul Hossain, MLAs Abdur Rahim Boxi and Chandana Sarkar, and TMC leaders met District Magistrate Preeti Goel, demanding an end to what they termed “SIR-related harassment”.
Speaking after the meeting, TMC district president Abdur Rahim Boxi said: “The SIR process has completely collapsed. Voters are being humiliated, women are falling sick, and now violence has broken out. The administration must take responsibility.”
As anger mounts across Malda, serious questions are being raised over the conduct, safety, and humanitarian aspects of the SIR exercise, with opposition parties trading blame and voters bearing the brunt.