11 dead in poll-related violence in eastern Indian state of West Bengal

By Shuriah Niazi

NEW DELHI (AA) — Election-related violence claimed at least 11 lives Saturday in eastern India as voters in the state of West Bengal vote for village council members, officials said.

The death toll includes at least six members of the local ruling Trinamool Congress party, and one each of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which holds the national government, the main opposition Congress, Marxist Community Party of India, and Indian Secular Front (ISF), according to the Press Trust of India (PTI) news agency.

Reports indicate that several people were injured in different parts of the state in the violent clashes that broke out in relation to elections for the councils, also known as panchayats.

Polling for the 73,887 seats began early on Saturday, with nearly 57 million voters to decide the fate of over 200,000 candidates.

According to local daily the Telegraph, large scale violence took place in the town of Sitai over ballot papers being stolen and burned as panicked voters fled voting areas.

The state election commission ordered a report on the incident from the district administration, it added.

The Trinamool Congress has alleged that forces deployed in the state to ensure law and order had failed to do so during the polls.

This election is important for the ruling Trinamool Congress and state opposition BJP as it tests their popularity ahead of general elections next year.

Governor CV Ananda Bose toured various areas in North 24 Parganas, meeting people injured in the violence and listening to complaints, said the PTI.