Kolkata: Two more poll-related deaths over the July 8 panchayat elections in West Bengal were reported in two districts in the past nine hours taking the toll to 17.
The body of Dilip Nahra was found early Thursday morning near a pond in the Serenda area of the Mohammad Bazar locality in the Birbhum district. His wife, Chobi Nahara, is an independent candidate.
Chobi Nahara said that her husband was a target of political vengeance, as she was contesting as an independent candidate.
She also held close associates of Trinamool Congress's Birbhum district joint convener Kali Prasad Bandopadhyay responsible for the murder.
However, Bandopadhyay dismissed the claims, claiming that the local BJP leadership was trying to unnecessarily malign the ruling party over the sad situation.
Late Wednesday night, a crude bomb exploded at Beldanga in the Murshidabad district, killing a man.
The victim has been named as Kamal Sheikh, 30 years old and lives in the Maheshpur area under the Beldanga police station.
Local police sources said that ingredients for manufacturing of crude bombs were recovered from near his body which makes the suspicion deeper the blast took place while the manufacturing of crude bombs was on.
Meanwhile, a brawl has broken out over the victim's political affiliation.
While Trinamool Congress's claim that Kamal Sheikh was a dedicated Congress member, the district Congress leadership has flatly denied the claims.
Campaigning for the panchayat elections is scheduled to end on Thursday afternoon.
With so many casualties already reported in the pre-poll phase, apprehensions are becoming deeper of the extent of violence all the polling day of July 8 as well as in the post-poll phase.
On Tuesday only, state Director General of Police Manoj Malviya described the incidents of violence and clashes as sporadic. “Stray incidents of violence and clashes are being blown out of proportion and projected in a big way. There had been a couple of incidents, where the police had taken prompt action. We are working as per guidelines. The situation is well under control and incidents of violence have come down. The media is projecting minor incidents as major ones. This is not done,” Malviya said.—Inputs from Agencies