Crude bombs were hurled in front of a polling booth in Kolkata on Sunday, causing panic among people who had turned up to cast their vote in the city’s municipal corporation elections.
Kolkata Deputy Commissioner of Police Priyabrata Roy said the incident took place at Khanna High School around 10 am, when unidentified miscreants threw two crude bombs while polling was underway. No casualties were reported.
In light of the incident, a large number of police personnel have been deployed outside the polling booth.
The incident has also sent allegations flying. The ruling Trinamool Congress has accused Opposition parties of hurling bombs, while CPI(M) candidate Moushumi Ghosh has alleged that TMC cadres had orchestrated the attack as they did not want people to vote.
READ | Kolkata civic body polls: BJP looks to make inroads, TMC determined not to cede ground
CCTV CAMERAS GO DARK
The Bengal Congress alleged that CCTV cameras inside a polling booth in Kolkata’s ward no.36 were covered. BJP national spokesperson Amit Malviya also tweeted a video of the incident, accusing the Mamata Banerjee government of electoral rigging.
“The court ordered CCTV cameras to be put in all polling booths for the KMC election. But TMC goons have pasted stickers on them. What is the WB State Election Commission doing to stop this malpractice and consequent attempt to rig polls? This is gross violation of court order,” Malviya tweeted.
The court ordered CCTV cameras to be put in all polling booths for the KMC election. But TMC goons have pasted stickers on them. What is the WB State Election Commission doing to stop this malpractice and consequent attempt to rig polls? This is gross violation of court order. pic.twitter.com/Q3m7d4K4L5
— Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) December 19, 2021
India Today could not independently verify the authenticity of the video.
READ | HC rejects appeal for deployment of central forces during Kolkata civic polls, BJP moves SC
BJP CANDIDATES ROUGHED UP BY COPS
Amit Malviya on Sunday tweeted a video in which Kolkata Police officers can be seen allegedly “manhandling” BJP candidate Brajesh Jha. He also alleged that BJP booth agents were being “threatened and terrorised by TMC goons” while the “Kolkata Police remains a mute spectator”.
Free and fair KMC polls? Here Kolkata Police can be seen manhandling Brajesh Jha, BJP candidate from ward 7. At whose behest are they intimidating BJP candidates? Home minister Mamata Banerjee or her nephew, who is now super CM?
WB Election Commission and Courts must take note. pic.twitter.com/PyZ4D3Xfn4
— Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) December 19, 2021
Meanwhile, a delegation of BJP leaders was scheduled to meet West Bengal State Election Commission at 11:30 am to highlight various instances if electoral malpractices, rigging and intimidation.
Voting for the Kolkata Municipal Corporation began at 7 am in 4,949 polling centres amid tight security, and it will continue till 5 PM. A voter turnout of 10.86 per cent was recorded 9 am.
A total of 23,500 Kolkata Police personnel have been deployed across the city, and route marches and area domination exercises conducted in various parts of the metropolis, an officer of the force said.
More than 200 police pickets have also been set up at crucial points across the city, a State Election Commission official said.
Note: This article have been indexed to our site. We do not claim legitimacy, ownership or copyright of any of the content above. To see the article at original source Click Here
