Violence continues at Bhangar even as counting day approaches

KOLKATA — With less than 24 hours remaining for counting for Lok Sabha polls to begin on Tuesday morning, tension and violence continue unabated in Bhangar in West Bengal.

Bhangar, one of the seven Assembly constituencies under Jadavpur Lok Sabha in South 24 Parganas District, has been witnessing repeated clashes between the All India Secular Front (AISF) and Trinamool Congress activists since Monday morning.

Tension mounted early morning after two Trinamool Congress workers were beaten up, allegedly by AISF supporters.

However, the AISF leadership at Bhangar has claimed that the violence by the villagers was in retaliation to goons backed by Trinamool Congress beating up a local AISF leader late on Sunday night.

However, the Trinamool Congress leadership has rubbished the allegations and claimed that while some of their supporters were returning to Bhangar they were not allowed entry by armed AISF activists.

Soon, a quarrel broke out, following which two Trinamool Congress activists were severely beaten up, claimed the local party leadership.

The injured Trinamool Congress supporters were rushed to a local health centre for treatment.

One person has been detained by the police in this connection.

The AISF candidate from Bhangar, Nur Alam Khan alleged that ever since the elections got over, Trinamool Congress-backed goons from outside had started entering the area on motorcycles and they were creating terror by intimidating AISF supporters.

One of the local party workers was beaten up late on Sunday night.

However, local Trinamool Congress leader Zahirul Molla made a counter-claim that having lost the support of the common people there, AISF is trying to re-establish control over the region by unleashing terror.