Bengal Governor Visits Violence-Hit District Ahead Of Panchayat Polls

Cooch Behar/Kolkata:

West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose on Saturday visited violence-hit areas of Dinhata in Cooch Behar district and met family members of a man who was killed during an incident of firing on June 27, ahead of the July 8 rural polls, an official said.

The governor also visited a hospital in Cooch Behar where the injured in clashes are undergoing treatment. Mr Bose is on a trip to the northern districts of the state.

Speaking to reporters, Mr Bose said he has directed police to immediately arrest those involved in recent incidents of violence. He also advised police to conduct raids to seize illegal arms and make preventive arrests.

“I will ask police to conduct raids to seize pistols, firearms, bombs and explosives and make preventive arrests of anti-social elements. I have come to know about two-three such names who are gang leaders. Arrest them and put them behind bars,” Mr Bose said.

Earlier in the day, Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Nisith Pramanik met Mr Bose at the circuit house in the district.

Mr Bose also talked to candidates and leaders of the CPI(M), Congress and the BJP, who voiced their concern over alleged incidents of violence in Cooch Behar ahead of the rural polls.

One person was killed and four others were injured in the incident of firing during a clash between two groups of people at Dinhata on Tuesday.

At least four people were detained for their alleged involvement in the killing, a senior police officer said.

Mr Pramanik and the opposition party leaders also urged Mr Bose to ensure that law and order is maintained and people can vote freely.

“We are hopeful that the governor will take necessary steps so that people can cast their votes peacefully,” Mr Pramanik told reporters in Cooch Behar.

The leaders also alleged that they were “unable to go out for campaigning” because of “atrocities” of the ruling Trinamool Congress.

“We are unable to come out of our houses and normal life has been affected. We have urged the governor to look into the matter,” one CPI(M) candidate said after interacting with Mr Bose.

Meanwhile, fresh tension erupted in the Okrabari area of Cooch Behar on Friday night, police said.

The family members of a Congress candidate in Okrabari alleged that a fire broke out at their house after “some miscreants, backed by the ruling Trinamool Congress, hurled bombs” there.

A fire tender was deployed to douse the fire, police said, adding that a probe is on.

Describing himself as the “ground zero governor”, Mr Bose on Thursday had said he would continue visiting violence-hit areas to have first-hand knowledge of what is happening.

Reacting to Mr Bose’s visit to north Bengal, Trinamool Congress leader Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay said the governor can move around anywhere in the state, but he should act in a “non-partisan manner.”

“I feel the governor should change his jersey. The post of the governor is constitutional. He should act in a non-partisan manner,” he said.

Widespread violence over the filing of nominations for the rural polls has left at least eight people dead and several injured in various parts of the state.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)