New Delhi, Apr 10 (IANS): Election Commission on Saturday adjourned polling at one booth in Sitalkurchi Assembly constituency under Cooch Behar district where four people were killed in the firing by the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) personnel.
Following the incident, the EC issued the order to adjourn the polls at Polling Station 126 of Sitalkurchi Assembly constituency. The poll panel's move followed the reports submitted by Special Observers.
A detailed report of the incident has been sought by the Chief Election Officer in West Bengal by 5 p.m. on Saturday.
"The Commission hereby orders adjourning the poll in PS 126 of Sitalkurchi AC, Cooch Behar based on interim report from Special Observers. Detailed reports are sought from them and CEO by 5 p.m. today," an EC official told IANS.
As per preliminary reports, four persons were killed as CAPF personnel opened fire after coming under attack by locals in Sitalkurchi Assembly constituency area during ongoing fourth phase of elections in the state.
According to sources, the incident took place at the polling booth in Sitalkuchi at around 10 a.m. when a Quick Response Team (QRT) were allegedly attacked by unidentified persons.
Five rounds of bullets were fired as the clash broke out when the QRT team along with local police which was clearing a crowd which reportedly was preventing voters from reaching polling booths, the source said.
Meanwhile, the source said, a voter fell down and unidentified miscreants started to damage vehicle of QRT, and it led the CAPF personnel to fire bullets.
Reacting to the incident, Trinamool Congress chief and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said: "We have been saying that the home ministry has been influencing the central forces and our worst fears have come true today. They have killed four people."
The TMC accused Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of the incident, saying the deceased was the saffron party's polling agent at the booth.
"Since morning BJP miscreants were blocking people's right to vote while CRPF was influencing voters to vote in favour of BJP. When TMC workers went to enquire why people were not being allowed to vote, BJP miscreants launched an attack creating an atmosphere of chaos, following which CRPF opened fire leading to 5 TMC workers losing their lives," the TMC said in a statement.
Meanwhile, Sitalkuchi's BJP candidate Baren Chandra Barman said that a deceased person was the party's polling agent at the booth and TMC activists were behind the murder.