Bengal Panchayat Polls Violence: Goons Came in Police Uniform, Say Locals As 3 Killed On Counting Day in Bhangar – News18

Three youths, including two supporters of the Indian Secular Front (ISF), were shot dead near a high school in Kantalia, while counting for the zilla parishad seats was on inside the school, in the Bhangar II block in West Bengal’s South 24 Parganas district on Tuesday night.

This was not new in Bhangar which became the epicenter of political clashes in the run-up to the panchayat polls in the state. At least three others were killed in the block on June 15, the last day of filing nominations for the panchayat polls.

Twenty two-year-old Rejaul Gazi was among the three people killed on the counting day on July 11. According to local villagers of Bhogali in Bhangar, Rejaul, who was a supporter of ISF, was not into active politics.

Talking to News18, ISF worker Bapu Fahim said, “We won and we were celebrating. Our candidate was supposed to come with the certificate, but suddenly we got a call that the presiding officer said that the result is not right and we need to go. We all went. Rejaul also went with us. Suddenly when we were near Kathiliya School, we saw a lot of torches and realized the bombing has started. We thought the police will not fire us since we have not done wrong but suddenly bombing firing took place and Rejaul was shot.”

Rejaul is survived by his four months old baby, his wife, and his mother. His family sat crying profusely beside his body that was kept in a field.

Rejaul’s brother Siddi Ali Gazi said the ruling party is responsible for his brother’s death.

“My brother went with me and just like that and they killed him. What will happen now? The ruling party is responsible for this. Goons were wearing police dress and they attacked us.”

Apart from Rejaul, Raju Mollah and Hasan Ali Mollah were also killed in the violence on July 11.

As per locals, Raju Mollah was shot outside his own house.

Bodies of all deceased were kept in a field. When police reached the spot, villagers did not allow them near the dead bodies.

The situation in Bhangar remains tense with all shops closed. Central forces have been deployed in the area, some of whom told News18 that they themselves have never seen such things.

When News18 reached Bhangar early on Wednesday morning, bombs and bullet shells were lying on the roads.

The bomb disposal squad diffused an explosive in Kashipur. A local person there told News18, “Now am not surprised, this is our culture. What to do.”

Addressing the media on widespread violence, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said, “Why things happened in Bhangar? There were Central forces there. They brought gunda’s from outside.”

BJP MLA and leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikarion on the other hand slammed the TMC government in the state and said the Chief Minister should be ashamed.

Meanwhile, a Central team under the leadership of BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad surveyed several violence-affected areas.