Six persons, including a woman, were killed and 18 more injured in widespread violence and CRPF firing in the fourth phase of panchayat elections in West Bengal today covering four districts.
State Election Commission sources said that 75 per cent average polling was recorded till five pm in the four districts of Murshidabad, Birbhum, Malda and Nadia even as people stood in queues waiting for their turn.
In the most violent phase of the rural poll so far, two persons were killed and their hands blown off while making bombs in a paddy field at Satpalsa village before polling began in Birbhum district, Rampurhat Sub-Divisional Police Officer Debasish Nandi said.
"Prima facie, the two were making bombs which went off. Their hands were also blown off," Nandi said.
Another two persons were killed similarly while making bombs at Raninagar village in the same district early morning, police said.
A woman voter was killed when bombs were hurled by miscreants as she was leaving a booth at Kajisha village in the Beldanga area in Murshidabad district after casting her vote, police said.
In Malda district, a 55-year-old voter was shot dead allegedly by the CRPF after voters, angry at the queue moving slowly, threw stones at a polling booth in Ratua, it said.
Four CRPF jawans were injured in the incident. Reports of violence were the highest in Murshidabad district.
A CPI(M) candidate's husband was shot at in Faridpur gram panchayat area of Jalangi in the district. He was admitted to Murshidabad Medical College and Hospital at Berhampore in a serious condition, police said.
A Trinamool Congress supporter received bullet injuries at Islampur in the same district.
Four persons were injured when bombs were hurled during a CPI(M)-Congress clash at Juginda area of the district.
A youth was injured at Ichakali in Jangipur area of the district, police said.
Three Trinamool Congress supporters were injured in a clash with the Congress workers at Swaruppur village in the district, it said.
