WB panchayat elections 2023: BJP shares videos of 'TMC goons' fleeing with ballot box | WATCH

The fatalities included six members affiliated with the Trinamool Congress (TMC), as well as one individual from each of the BJP, CPI(M), Congress, and ISF parties. Additionally, there was another casualty whose political affiliation remains unidentified.

In the ongoing three-tier panchayat polls in West Bengal, election-related violence has claimed the lives of at least 11 individuals since midnight. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has strongly criticized the Trinamool Congress government, asserting that the state's current administration has transformed into a distressing illustration of democratic violence.

Sharing a video, BJP IT-cell head Amit Malviya claimed "TMC goons openly brandish gun and threaten an independent candidate in Barrackpore, North 24 Parganas."

In a tweet, Malviya said, "9 people have died since morning and no one knows how many more will die through the day. SEC and Mamata Banerjee are responsible for this bloodshed. They didn’t deploy CAPF."

The fatalities included six members affiliated with the Trinamool Congress (TMC), as well as one individual from each of the BJP, CPI(M), Congress, and ISF parties. Additionally, there was another casualty whose political affiliation remains unidentified.

"This war like situation is a grim reminder of how lawless Bengal is under Mamata Banerjee. The struggles of people in WB, for respect and dignity, is real. It is when one faces such barbarity, one realises true worth of freedom and democracy… #SaveBengal," Malviya said in another tweet.

Sharing the same video, Bengal BJP chief Sukanta Majumdar said, "The reason why Didi opposed the central forces .. so that her goons can openly use the gun at booths."

In addition to the series of violent confrontations that left numerous individuals wounded, reports emerged of ballot boxes being destroyed in various regions across the state. Expressing his discontentment, Sudhanshu Trivedi, a Rajya Sabha member and spokesperson for the BJP, criticized the Trinamool Congress (TMC).

Trivedi highlighted that West Bengal, which was once renowned for its contributions to art, culture, and science, has now garnered a reputation for "criminal activities, anti-national behavior, and perilous appeasement."

With a significant number of seats at stake, polling commenced at 7 am in the rural regions of the state, encompassing a total of 73,887 seats. A staggering 5.67 crore individuals participated in this crucial decision-making, ultimately determining the outcomes for approximately 2.06 lakh candidates.