West Bengal poll violence toll reaches 20

Kolkata, May 13 (IANS) With the death of one person in a clash Wednesday, the toll in election-related violence over three phases of polling in West Bengal has shot up to 20.

A ruling Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) leader died after being attacked allegedly by opposition Trinamool Congress activists when he came out of a booth after voting at Naraynagarh under Jainagar Lok Sabha constituency of South 24 Parganas.

On Tuesday night, Khejar Ali, said to be a Trinamool Congress activist, was killed in Rajarhat on the outskirts of the city in a violent clash with CPI-M workers during which bombs were flung, said state Inspector General of Police (Law and Order) Raj Kanojia.

Three people, including two poll officials, were killed when landmines, planted by suspected Maoist guerrillas to disrupt elections, went off in West Bengal's Maoist-hit West Midnapore districts during the first phase of polls in the state April 30.

Four people were killed in poll-related violence during the second phase of elections in the state May 7.

Eleven people, including a toddler and a teenager, died in clashes during two days after the second phase.

Besides, three others perished in accidents and the grueling heat during the poll process.

A car carrying polling personnel crushed a voter to death and injured three outside a booth in Kalyani Wednesday.

In East Midnapore district, a Border Security Force (BSF) personnel died after a cerebral attack while on poll duty in Nandigram while a voter succumbed to sunstroke in Contai during the second phase of polling MAY 7.