Kolkata: The second phase of Assembly elections in West Bengal witnessed a turbulent start on Wednesday, with reports of violence, vandalism and technical glitches surfacing from several constituencies during the initial hours of polling.
Incidents of unrest were reported from areas such as Chapra, Shantipur and Bhangar, where clashes between rival groups allegedly disrupted the voting process. Security personnel were deployed to control the situation and ensure polling continued without further escalation.
In Howrah, complaints regarding malfunctioning electronic voting machines (EVMs) also emerged, causing brief interruptions at some polling stations. Election officials said the issues were addressed, and voting resumed shortly afterward.
Tensions were further heightened in the Entally constituency in Kolkata, where a dispute broke out involving Priyanka Tibrewal of the Bharatiya Janata Party. The altercation reportedly began after her polling agent was asked to leave a booth due to space constraints, leading to a heated exchange with officials and representatives of the rival All India Trinamool Congress.
Reacting to the developments, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee accused central forces of bias, alleging that they were acting in favour of the BJP and interfering with the electoral process.
Authorities have stepped up security arrangements across sensitive locations to prevent further disturbances. Despite the early disruptions, polling continued in most areas under close monitoring by election officials.
