Bengal Governor visits violence-hit Dinhata, meets oppn leaders ahead of rural polls

Cooch Behar/Kolkata: West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose on Saturday visited the violence-hit areas of Dinhata in Cooch Behar district and met the family members of a man who was killed during an incident of firing on June 27 ahead of the panchayat elections, an official said.

The governor also visited a hospital in Cooch Behar where the injured in clashes are undergoing treatment.

Bose is on a trip to the northern districts of the state.

Earlier in the day, Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Nisith Pramanik met the governor at the circuit house in the district.

Bose also talked to candidates and leaders of the CPI(M), Congress and the BJP, who voiced their concern over alleged incidents of violence in Cooch Behar ahead of the July 8 rural polls.

One man was killed and four others were injured in the incident of firing during a clash between two groups of people at Dinhata on Tuesday morning.

At least four people were detained for their alleged involvement in the killing ahead of the panchayat elections, a senior police officer said.

“The governor went to meet family members of the deceased at his residence in Dinhata," the official said.

Pramanik and the opposition party leaders also urged Bose to ensure that law and order are maintained and people can exercise their franchise in the panchayat polls.

"We are hopeful that the governor will take necessary steps so that people can cast their votes peacefully," Pramanik told reporters in Cooch Behar.

The leaders also alleged that they were “unable to go out for campaigning” for the ensuing elections because of the “atrocities” of the ruling Trinamool Congress.

“We are unable to come out of our houses and normal life has been affected. We have urged the governor to look into the matter,” one CPI(M) candidate said after interacting with Bose.

Meanwhile, fresh tension erupted in the Okrabari area in Cooch Behar on Friday night, another police officer said.

The family members of a Congress candidate in Okrabari alleged that a fire broke out at their house after "some miscreants, backed by the ruling Trinamool Congress, hurled bombs" there.

A fire tender was deployed to douse the blaze, the police officer said, adding that an investigation has been initiated to probe into the incident.

Describing himself as the “ground zero governor”, Bose on Thursday said he would continue visiting violence-hit areas to have first-hand knowledge of what is happening.

“I cancelled all my visits to come here. I’m planning to meet victims of violence and take stock of the situation,” Bose said in Cooch Behar.

Reacting to Bose's visit to north Bengal, Trinamool Congress leader Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay said the governor can move around anywhere in the state but he should act in a “non-partisan manner”.

"I feel the governor should change his jersey. The post of the governor is constitutional. He should act in a non-partisan manner which he is not able to," he said.

Widespread violence over the filing of nominations for the rural polls has left at least eight people dead and several injured in various parts of the state last month.