Shillong, July 10: The casualty count in the West Bengal panchayat elections has risen to 38, with two more deaths reported on Monday. Sirajul Sheikh, a local Trinamool Congress leader from Raninagar in Murshidabad district, and Sukur Ali Sheikh, a CPI(M) activist from Krishnanagar in Nadia district, both succumbed to their injuries sustained on the polling day. Additionally, the body of Oshto Mondal, a missing local BJP leader from Dhubulia in Nadia district, was discovered near a pond.
IANS stated that since the announcement of polling dates on June 8, the death toll has steadily risen, reaching 36 by Saturday morning. The situation has prompted questions from civil society regarding the lack of adequate deployment of central armed forces personnel on the polling day, which could have potentially reduced the violence.
Re-polling for 696 booths commenced on Monday under heavy deployment of central armed forces personnel. In response to the widespread violence and bloodshed during the polls on Saturday, the Union Home Minister has requested a report from the state government. Additionally, the Inspector General of the Border Security Force (BSF), the central nodal officer for the rural civic body polls, is planning to submit a report to the Union Home Ministry highlighting the lack of cooperation from the office of the state election commission in deploying and utilizing the armed forces effectively.
