Kolkata: Three people were shot dead and several others injured in two districts of West Bengal on Thursday during the ongoing violence over filing of nominations for the July 8 panchayat elections, police officials said.
Two persons were killed at Bhangore in South 24 Parganas district, while another youth was gunned down by miscreants at Chopra in Uttar Dinajpur district. Thursday was the last day for filing nomination papers. Opposition parties have been alleging that the ruling Trinamool Congress supporters resorted to violence to prevent their candidates from filing nomination papers. The state government, however, claimed that more opposition candidates filed nominations than those of the ruling party till Wednesday.
Meanwhile, the Calcutta High Court on Thursday directed the State Election Commission (SEC) to requisition and deploy central forces across West Bengal for the July 8 panchayat elections in the state. The court noted that no appreciable steps have been taken ever since an order was passed by it on June 13 to deploy central forces in sensitive areas for the poll process.
Petitioners had prayed for the deployment of central forces for ensuring peaceful elections, claiming that the state had witnessed large-scale violence during municipal elections in 2022 and Kolkata Municipal Corporation elections in 2021. Opposition parties have been alleging that the ruling Trinamool Congress supporters resorted to violence to prevent their candidates from filing nomination papers.
The state claimed before the court that till Wednesday, more opposition candidates filed nominations than those of the ruling party. Thursday was the last day for filing nomination. (With agency Inputs)
