West Bengal: TMC-BJP workers clash in North 24 Parganas as final phase polling concludes

North 24 Parganas (West Bengal) [India], April 29 (ANI): A violent clash broke out between Trinamool Congress (TMC) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers at Booth Number 120 in the Arabinda Rally in North 24 Parganas as voting for the second and last phase of West Bengal elections ended. To control the situation, security forces arrived at the scene.
BJP candidate from the Noapara constituency Arjun Singh was also present during the ordeal and levelled serious allegations of electoral malpractice. Singh accused a local councillor's husband of orchestrating "forceful" voting across multiple booths, stating that a complaint would be filed with the Election Commission.
"The voting is about to end now. One person has created a card for four booths. He is the husband of a Councillor. He enters the polling station and casts votes forcefully. The presiding officer does not say anything. We will complain to the Election Commission," he claimed.
Another similar clash took place in Hooghly earlier in the day as polling was going on. BJP and TMC polling agents reportedly clashed at booth numbers 147 and 148 at the Ramchandrapur Adarsha Bidyabhaban polling station in the Khanakul assembly constituency.
According to CRPF Sub-Inspector Usha, the voting in the region has resumed peacefully following the "minor incident". "It was a minor incident. Right now, voting is taking place in a peaceful manner. CRPF's all-women 240th Battalion is deployed here," she said.
Apart from this incident, several other cases of clashes and violence have been reported from other areas of West Bengal.
A violent clash erupted in the morning near the primary high school in the Hatra Bazaar area located in the Nadia district. The polling booth is set up at Hatra Bazaar Primary School, where tensions reportedly flared between workers of the All India Trinamool Congress and ISF.
The final phase of polling for the high-octane West Bengal assembly elections concluded at 6 PM on Wednesday, with voter turnout hitting remarkable numbers at 90% before the closing hour.
Till 5 PM, Purba Bardhaman district continued to maintain the lead with a whopping turnout of 92.46%, followed by Hooghly (90.34%), Nadia (90.28%), Howrah (89.44%) and North 24 Paraganas. South 24 Paraganas witnessed a turnout of 89.74% and 89.57% respectively.
The main contest in West Bengal in the 2026 Assembly polls is between the incumbent Trinamool Congress seeking to defend its throne for a fourth consecutive term and the resurgent BJP, looking for a historic victory in the state. The results would be revealed on May 4. (ANI)