An angry mob disrupted the voting process in Kultali, located in West Bengal’s South 24 Parganas district, by infiltrating polling stations and throwing an Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) into a nearby pond. The chaos began when some polling agents were allegedly prevented from entering the booths, sparking outrage among residents. In response, the locals forced their way into the polling stations, seized the EVM equipped with a Voter Verified Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT), and discarded it into a water body.
In a statement, the Chief Electoral Officer of West Bengal confirmed the incident, stating, “Today morning at 6:40 am, Reserve 6:40 and papers of the Sector Officer near Benimadhavpur FP school, at 129-Kultali AC of 19-Jaynagar (SC) PC were looted by a local mob. One Control Unit (CU), a Ballot Unit (BU), and two VVPAT machines were thrown into a pond. The Sector Officer has lodged an FIR, and necessary action has been initiated. The polling process in all six booths under the Sector is running uninterrupted. Fresh EVM and papers have been provided to the Sector Officer.”
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On the same day, tensions flared in the Satuliya area of Bhangar, within the Jadavpur Lok Sabha constituency in Kolkata. Violence erupted in the morning amid allegations of attacks on workers and supporters of the Indian Secular Front (ISF) and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)]. The clashes left several ISF members injured, and the situation worsened with the presence of country-made bombs at the site.
Polling in the seventh and last phase of Lok Sabha elections to nine seats in Bengal began at 7 a.m. today amid 7 am security. Voting in Dum Dum, Barasat, Basirhat, Jaynagar, Mathurapur, Diamond Harbour, Jadavpur, Kolkata Dakshin, and Kolkata Uttar seats will continue until 6 p.m.
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