Kolkata: In a grave turn of the event during the fourth phase of West Bengal elections 2021, at least four people were killed when central forces open fired during the fourth phase of polls at Cooch Behar’s Sitalkunchi area on Saturday.
At booth number 126 AC –Sitalkuchi, 4 people have died from the bullets of central forces.
An official of the Election Commission, also accepted before the media that it was firing by central forces in which four people have been killed.
After the incident, a video that has gone viral on social media, a boy in a white shirt is seen claiming that the central forces had fired. He alleged in the video, “BJP ke vote na dile guli korche (people are being shot for not voting for BJP).”
Meanwhile, The Trinamool Congress (TMC) has claimed in a letter to the Election Commission (EC) that those killed are TMC workers.
Video: What relatives and witnesses say after the incident
“BJP had captured the booth. According to our sources placed on the ground, all 5 were AITC party workers belonging to a certain faith,” wrote Derek O’ Brien, TMC MP.
He added, “This grave violation of the law and the MCC on manifold accounts, I strongly urge you the escalate the matter and begin an investigation at the earliest to apprehend the perpetrators.” He even attached some documents for the perusal of the election body.
Meanwhile, chief minister Mamata Banerjee while addressing a political rally in Alipurduar reacted, “They killed four of our men in Sitalkunchi, have you seen it not. We will avenge the death. We will wear black badges on April 11 to mark our protest against these killings. They will be answered through votes and not violence.”
However, the villagers of the area, who were gheraoing the poll booth where the incident took place while interacting with the ABP Ananda maintained that the central forces should have refrained from open firing. A villager talking to the media, said, “This is no way in which the central forces should have shot at the voters. If there was a ruckus then also there are ways of tackling it. Open firing and killing people on the spot is not justified.”
He added that they would be protesting till the appropriate action is taken. “I any villager is found guilty, punish him along with those who open fire. We are living in a democracy and not under British Raj.”
