The fourth phase of West Bengal panchayat polls witnessed a bloody start on Monday with four people reported to be killed in Birbhum.
According to reports, three more bodies have been recovered and all are believed to be of CPI activists, who went missing since Sunday night.
The fourth person was killed in Mauryeswar. Violent clashes between the CPI(M) and ruling Trinamool Congress activists have also been reported in Suri where 20 people have been injured.
Among those injured in bloody spar, few are believed to extremely critical.
The five-phased state panchayat polls that began on July 11 have witnessed a lot of upheaval, bloodshed and violence till date.
Three Congress workers were also killed on Sunday in four districts of West Bengal and at least 100 houses vandalised and looted in South 24-Parganas district on Sunday.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee indirectly put the onus of panchayat poll violence on the State Election Commission, arguing that the elections were being conducted by the SEC and the state had provided adequate policemen requisitioned by the poll panel.
Expressing sadness at the loss of lives in poll violence, Banerjee said in a write-up posted in the Trinamool Congress website, “Every death is a tragedy, irrespective of the party he or she belongs to. A family loses a precious member who can never be replaced. Election is being conducted by the State election Commission, not the government. Adequate police were provided as per requirement stipulated by the SEC.”
–IANS