Bengal panchayat poll violence: 10 political workers dead, media attacked

Violence and clashes between party workers on Monday marred the West Bengal Panchayat elections, leading to the assault of workers from major opposition parties — CPI(M), BJP and Congress — and death of 10 of them. Several journalists were attacked. Two media persons, Kamakshya Das from Uttarer Saradin and 24 Ghanta’s Pinki Sarkar, were allegedly under the custody of workers from the governing Trinamool Congress (TMC) for hours and released later.

Speaking to 101Reporters about the attacks on journalists, Das said, “We were just trying to take a byte from some workers of Opposition parties in Alipurduar when the ruling party men started attacking us. We were just doing our job which led us to the hospital for a check-up. I was taken to a room and beaten up constantly until the police came. They don’t want us to show what is happening.”