At least 19 people died — according to reports from The Telegraph
bureaus — during the voting for the three-tier panchayat system on
Monday even as the state government and the election commission claimed
that the death toll was six. Monday was one of the bloodiest poll days
in Bengal in recent memory. Details of the toll as of Monday evening
Name: Amrit Saha, 50
Place: Maraikura in Raiganj, North Dinajpur
Party link: The uncle of a Trinamul candidate’s wife
How: He was in a
queue to vote when a bike rally of suspected Trinamul supporters fired
several rounds to disperse a crowd. He received a shot and died later at
a hospital.
Name: Rakesh Sutradhar, in his thirties
Place: Barua in Raiganj, North Dinajpur
Party link: Trinamul has claimed him as a supporter
How: Sources
said he was part of a bike rally of 30-odd suspected Trinamul workers
who attempted to capture a booth when over 500 villagers surrounded and
thrashed them. Sutradhar was admitted to a hospital where he succumbed
to
injuries.
injuries.
Name: Mahiruddin Mandal, 50
Place: Tapan in Gurail, South Dinajpur
Party link: Trinamul supporter
How: He was
seated with some others in a field when bombs exploded near them.
Sources said the group was carrying a cache of bombs that accidentally
exploded.
Name: Bishu Tudu, 30
Place: Kushmandi of South Dinajpur
Party link: BJP supporter
How: A bike
rally of suspected Trinamul activists had come to capture a booth where
he was standing in a queue to vote. He died from a shot in a clash that
followed.
Name: Dulal Bhowmik, in his 50s
Place: Gopalpur of Cooch Behar
Party link: Not known
How: He was in a
queue at a booth when a clash took place between Trinamul and BJP
activists. Sources said he had suffered a cardiac arrest from anxiety.
Name: Tapan Kumar Mandal, 55
Place: Kumarpur in Beldanga, Murshidabad
Party link: BJP supporter
How: He was
going to a booth when a group of suspected Trinamul workers on bikes
stopped him and told him to go back home. When he refused, they
shot him.
Name: Shahin Sheikh, 25
Place: Patikabari in Nowda, Murshidabad
Party link: Dissident Trinamul who was backing an Independent
How: He tried to resist the capture of a booth by suspected Trinamul workers and got shot.
Name: Sanjit Pramanik, 27
Place: Babla in Santipur of Nadia
Party link: Trinamul activist
How: He went
with a gang of bikers to allegedly capture a booth where tribal people
surrounded them and shot several arrows. Trying to run, he was captured
by the villagers and beaten to death.
The Telegraph