Bengal panchayat polls: AISF candidate shot dead in Bhangar

Kolkata: An All India Secular Front (AISF) candidate, Mohammad Mohiuddin Molla, was shot dead on Thursday in West Bengal’s South 24 Parganas district when he arrived at the block development office to file his nomination for the Panchayat polls, an official said.

This was the second death on the same day over nomination-related violence. Earlier on Tuesday, CPI-M activist Mansur Ali was killed in cross-firing at Chopra in West Bengal’s North Dinajpur district.

This is the third death over nominations in West Bengal since the polling dates were announced on June 8. On June 9, a Congress worker, Phoolchand Sheikh, was killed at Khargram in Murshidabad district.

On Thursday afternoon, Molla was shot dead within the premises of the block development office at Bhangar-II block. He died on the spot.

Following the incident, severe clashes broke out throughout the area between the Trinamool Congress and the AISF supporters.

There was severe brick-batting and crude bombs were hurled one after another, turning the entire area into a virtual battlefield.

Naushad Siddique, the lone AISF representative in the West Bengal assembly, alleged that the police contingent present there “did not react” while the ruling party activists attacked the AISF candidate and those associated with him. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has, however, denied the allegations.