Violence rocked parts of West Bengal over the filing of nominations for the July 8 panchayat poll as activists of the ruling TMC and opposition parties clashed prompting the police to use force to disperse the mob.
The violence over filing of nominations continued unabated for the fifth consecutive day in parts of South 24 Parganas and Bankura districts. Supporters of Indian Secular Front (ISF) and TMC clashed in Bhangore area of South 24 Parganas, nearly 30 km from Kolkata.
A huge police contingent was rushed to the spot, which resorted to baton charge to control the situation. Bombs were hurled and several cars were ransacked as supporters of the two parties tried to stop each other from filing nominations.
Several activists belonging to the two parties were injured, the police said. Similar scenes were witnessed in Canning area of the district as miscreants alleged to be members of dissident groups of the TMC tried to stop the filing of nominations of the party's official candidates.
The miscreants hurled bombs and threw stones against the Rapid Action Force personnel and police had to burst tear gas shells to quell the situation, the police said.
Officials said that in the Indas area of Bankura BJP activists clashed with the TMC supporters outside the nomination filing center. Supporters of both groups came to blows and pelted stones at each other, even as police tried to control the situation in the area, which is about 135 km from the city. -- PTI