Kolkata: As record-breaking voter turnout marked the conclusion of the final phase of the West Bengal Assembly elections on Wednesday, the Trinamool Congress alleged that an elderly voter died following a physical altercation with central security forces at a polling station in Howrah district.
Abhishek Banerjee, the TMC national general secretary, claimed that the victim was being assisted by his son at a booth in Udaynarayanpur when personnel from the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) intervened. Banerjee released a video depicting the deceased man and his family, asserting that the security forces have transitioned into a "private army" for the Bharatiya Janata Party.
"Central forces under Amit Shah have become the BJP's private army. A gang of licenced thugs unleashed on the people of Bengal," the Diamond Harbour MP stated. "In Udaynarayanpur, an elderly man went to cast his vote with his son. Too frail to walk unaided, his son tried to help him into the booth. Central forces pushed and manhandled both. The old man collapsed, was rushed to Amta Hospital and declared dead on arrival."
Allegations of Widespread Misconduct
Banerjee further alleged that the security personnel engaged in a broader campaign of intimidation throughout the day, targeting vulnerable citizens, including women and children.
"Since dawn, these central forces have been terrorising ordinary citizens - slapping women, assaulting the elderly, attacking even children. This is the Sitalkuchi mentality of 2021: cold-blooded, merciless violence against unarmed civilians," Banerjee said. He warned that those responsible would be "hunted down and made to face the full force of the law."
The TMC also questioned the federal government's decision to maintain a significant security presence in the state following the close of polls. While Home Minister Amit Shah previously announced that forces would remain for 60 days post-election, TMC sources challenged the necessity of keeping 700 companies on the ground now that voting has concluded. Currently, a record 2,450 CAPF companies, totalling approximately 2.5 lakh personnel, are stationed in the state.
Historic Turnout Figures
Despite the reports of violence, the second phase saw unprecedented participation. By 5 p.m., the turnout for the 142 seats contested on Wednesday reached 89.99%, surpassing the 80.4% recorded for the same constituencies in 2021.
Election officials noted that the final percentage is expected to rise toward 95% as voters already in line at the 6 p.m. cutoff were permitted to complete their ballots. Notable turnouts included:
- Ausgram (Purba Bardhaman): 94.06%
- Habra (North 24 Parganas): 93.00%
- Bhabanipur (Kolkata): 85.51% (Constituency of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee)
The first phase, held on April 23 for 152 seats, saw a turnout of 93.19%, the highest since India's independence. With the conclusion of the two-phase election, all eyes now turn to the vote counting scheduled for May 4.