In the West Bengal assembly polls, CISF personnel opened fire which led to 4 persons getting killed. The violence broke out at West Bengal’s Cooch Behar district, where the 4th phase of the Assembly elections is underway. Meanwhile, in another incident, a first-time voter who was 18-years-old was also shot dead by unidentified goons outside the polling booth in Cooch Behar. After the violence shook the poll bound district, the polling was adjourned. Election Commission, India’s arm which oversees matters pertaining to elections, has called for a probe in the matter and will be getting a report by 5 pm today.

Debashish Dhar, Superintendent of Police (SP), Cooch Behar issued a statement saying, “The deceased has been Ananda Barman, 18. He was a first-time voter.” The incident reportedly took place early in the morning at around 8 am. According to BJP, which is eyeing to dethrone TMC, the dececed young man was a BJP supporter and was targeted by TMC. Meanwhile, TMC has alleged that the dececed man was shot by BJP supporters. After the incident, a clash between the TMC and BJP party workers ensued near the voting booth.

BJP Cooch Behar’s District Committee President Malati Roy was quoted saying, “Barman belonged to the BJP family as his elder brother is the head of the local committee under Boleynauhati gram panchayat. It was the TMC goons who killed him.”

Meanwhile, TMC leader, and the North Bengal Development Minister, Rabindranath Ghosh alleged that BJP activists took the life of the young man. “It was BJP activists who, in their desperate move to create fear psychosis, killed Barman.”

Meanwhile, the second incident was reported to have occurred due to CISF being attacked. According to the police, the personnel of CISF were attacked and in retaliation they opened fire, due to which casualties were reported.

Vishal Garg, IG, North Bengal was quoted by news agencies saying, “4 persons got killed in firing at Sitalkuchi. We are collecting information about the injured.”

As anticipated, after the incident the TMC and BJP flung allegations towards each other. TMC on one side claimed that the unidentified men were associated with the opposition. BJP on the other side claimed that TMC planted the victim and conspired to manipulate voting.

Since the beginning of the elections, both the parties have been locking horns and have alleged each other over multitudes of offences. TMC recently alleged the saffron party that it didn’t let the former’s agents to enter the voting booths at the Dinhata constituency.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has in the recent past passed snide remarks on TMC and West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee, offered his condolences to the casualties. Indian PM alleged that- “Didi and her goons”- haven’t been able to make peace with West Bengal’s citizens’ support towards BJP. And hence, they resorted to “this level”.

The Prime Minister also sent a message to TMC and TMC leader Mamata Banerjee that their tactics won’t work. He further asked the Election Commission to take a look into the situation and carry out justice towards those who are found guilty. “This violence, inciting people against the central forces and creating hindrances in the poll process won’t be able to save you didi,” Prime Minister Modi said, in a campaign rally in Siliguri.

Meanwhile, TMC leader Banerjee came down hard on Amit Shah and alleged that the violence that shook West Bengal on Saturday was a conspiracy made by him. “CRPF has shot dead 4 people in Sitalkuchi (Cooch Behar) today. There was another death in the morning. CRPF is not my enemy but there’s a conspiracy going around under the instruction of Home Minister & today’s incident is a proof.”