West Bengal Panchayat Polls: TMC-ISF clash takes ugly turn in Bhangar, Canning too erupts in violence over filing of nominations

Despite the imposition of Section 144, a large number of Trinamool activists gathered in front of the BDO office with sticks and rods on Wednesday morning. Trinamool activists also warned Bhangar MLA Nawsad Siddiqui with dire consequences.

Bhangar:As West Bengal gears up for Panchayat Polls slated for July 8, South 24 Parganas' Bhangar again erupted in violence for the consecutive second day on Wednesday.

In a reverse trend, the ISF workers allegedly attacked the workers of the ruling Trinamool Congress when the party candidates went to submit their nominations. A Trinamool worker sustained an injury on the head in the attack. Trinamool workers' cars were also vandalised allegedly by the ISF men, sources said. Supporters of Trinamool activists were attacked by ISF cadres in Narayanpur too. On the other hand, despite the imposition of Section 144, a large number of Trinamool activists gathered in front of the BDO office with sticks and rods on Wednesday morning. Trinamool activists also warned Bhangar MLA Nawsad Siddiqui with dire consequences. Later, the cadres of the two parties clashed over the filing of nominations. Various districts of the state are witnessing sporadic violence for the past few days over the filing of nominations for the Panchayat Polls.

On Tuesday, Bhangar became a virtual war zone with cadres of two parties fighting a pitched battle over the filing of nomination papers. Bombs flew thick, gunshots were fired and bricks were pelted at security men. Even the security men had to retreat first in the face of attack as few personnel got injured. Later, police fired teargas shells to control the mob.

The ISF alleged that the attack was carried out by the Trinamool. On Wednesday, bombs were hurled and bricks were pelted at the police. A large contingent of police and RAF were deployed. Cadres of political parties were seen flaunting sticks in Bhangar where section 144 is in force within a one-kilometre radius of the nomination centre. The perpetrators carried sticks and bamboo in their hands and masked their faces. According to sources, two people were shot at in Canning. They were admitted to Canning Hospital for treatment.