5 killed in post-poll violence in West Bengal

Five people were killed in separate incidents of post-assembly poll violence and arson in various parts of West Bengal, including in Kolkata, since the results of the elections were declared on Sunday night.

Trinamool Congress won a landslide victory in the elections for the third time in a row while Bharatiya Janata Party finished a distant second.

Four persons were killed in Purbo Bardhaman and one in the state capital, reports our New Delhi correspondent.

Purba Bardhaman district witnessed the killing of four people allegedly in clashes between ruling Trinamool Congress and BJP, official sources said.

Trinamool Congress claimed three of its supporters were killed by BJP which rejected the allegations, saying the incidents were the result of "people's resistance".

The incident took place yesterday when some TMC supporters were on the way to Nabagram under Jamalpur police station area on their motorcycles and were allegedly attacked by BJP workers, the sources said.

The injured were taken to different hospitals and two were declared dead by Burdwan Medical College and Hospital when they were rushed there.

A woman, who was among the injured, was declared dead when taken to Jamalpur Hospital, the sources said.

Claiming that the woman was a BJP supporter, local BJP leader Ashish Kshetrapal said TMC activists came to the area shouting 'Joy Bangla' and 'Khela Hobe' slogans around 11:00am local time yesterday.

"We put up a counter-resistance and the TMC attackers fled. But they returned via another route, forcibly entered my house and attacked my family members. My mother died in the attack," he alleged.

The TMC supporters also injured his father and uncle, the local leader said, adding they vandalised and looted 17-18 houses in the area.

Police said 23 people have been detained in connection with the incident and a large contingent of security forces have been deployed in the area.

In another incident in Samaspur in Raina police station area, a 55-year-old man was killed in TMC-BJP clashes on Sunday night after the results were declared.

Ganesh Mallick, known in the area as a TMC supporter, was injured after being hit by bamboo sticks. He was admitted to the Burdwan Medical College and Hospital where he died, the sources said.

BJP district general secretary Shyamal Roy said the incident was a fall-out of a family dispute, while TMC spokesperson Prosenjit Das said the saffron party was resorting to violence in various areas after losing the poll.

In Kolkata one person died after he was severely assaulted by TMC workers in Kankurgachi area late on Sunday night, police said.

The man, who was claimed by his family to have been a BJP activist, was declared brought dead when taken to a nearby hospital, the police said.

A few houses in Jadavpur area of south Kolkata were vandalized by alleged members of TMC.

BJP has claimed that at least five of its activists were killed and thousands of houses belonging to the party's workers were damaged in attacks by Trinamool Congress supported miscreants since the declaration of the assembly election result on Sunday.

BJP state president Dilip Ghosh told reporters that neither the state police nor the administration came to their help.

He claimed that the mother of a booth president was killed during an attack by TMC workers at Jagaddal in North 24 Parganas district and another person was killed at Sonarpur in South 24 Parganas.

Another BJP supporter was killed in Beliaghata area of Kolkata while two others were killed in similar attacks in Ranaghat in Nadia district and Sitalkuchi in Coochbehar, he said.

Ghosh said there were reports of the killing of an ISF supporter at Kadambagachhi in North 24 Parganas, taking the toll to six.

The Indian Home Ministry has already asked West Bengal government for a report on the post-poll violence.

Reports of post-poll violence were received from Jalpaiguri in north Bengal.

The newly elected MLA of Dabgram-Phulbari, Sikha Chatterjee of BJP alleged that miscreants supported by the TMC attacked her house. She even took reporters inside her house to show them the destruction caused by the attackers.

She also alleged the houses of BJP workers were vandalised and a vehicle was damaged at Chunabhati area of Dabgram-Phulbari constituency where state minister and senior TMC leader Gautam Deb was defeated by the BJP.

In Moynaguri there were reports of a clash between the two groups at Chuadanga area in which several persons were injured and a motorbike was set on fire, police said.

A number of houses in the area were also vandalised, the police said, adding the injured were taken to the hospitals.

BJP has claimed that the injured were its supporters and the TMC denied any role in the clash.

Police and central armed police force have rushed to the spot and Rapid Action Force deployed.