Large-scale violence feared in West Bengal polls: Intelligence agencies

KOLKATA: Panchayat elections in West Bengal could be marred by large-scale violence, intelligence agencies have warned the state government. Disruptive elements owing allegiance to different political parties have started acquiring improvised arms and ammunition from Jharkhand and Bihar, one of the reports said.

The state election commission will issue official notification on Monday for the three-tier panchayat elections. Filing of nomination for the first phase of polls on July 2 will begin on May 29. North and South 24-Parganas, Hooghly and Murshidabad districts are likely to face widespread violence during the polls, the intelligence reports indicated.

Three persons were killed in Malda's Sixteenmile area on Friday. Police said the three youth were making bombs at a house when they exploded. "We have reports that the youth were manufacturing bombs and they had collected unlicensed guns to terrorise voters during the panchayat elections," a senior state police official said on Friday.

CM Mamata Banerjee on Friday visited the CID headquarters in Bhabani Bhavan and held talks with senior officials. She also visited the city police's special branch office two days ago.

State election commissioner Meera Pandey had also expressed apprehension over possible violence during the panchayat elections. Pandey recently urged the state administration to intensify police vigilance in the areas bordering Bihar and Jharkhand.