Kolkata, Oct 27 (IANS): Three people were killed and many others seriously injured Monday in political clashes in West Bengal's Birbhum district, police said.

The killings in Makra village under Panrui police station area came days after three policemen were injured when villagers hurled bombs at a police team that raided a hideout in the area where crude bombs were stored.

Video footage aired by news channels showed scores of armed assailants running through paddy fields and firing indiscriminately as many suffered bullet injuries.

Additional Superintendent of Police Ananda Roy said three people were killed in the clash and over a dozen injured.

The ruling Trinamool Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) traded charges over the incident.

While Trinamool district president Anubrata Mondal said the attack was an attempt by the BJP to "capture the village", his BJP counterpart Dudh Kumar Mondal rubbished the charges and accused the ruling party of unleashing violence.