Sporadic incidents of violence were reported from some parts, mainly in Jhargram, Ghatal, Tamluk during the sixth phase elections in eight Lok Sabha (LS) constituencies in West Bengal on Saturday.

More than 74 per cent polling were reported on an average so far in the eight constituencies – Tamluk, Kanthi, Ghatal, Jhargram, Medinipur, Purulia, Bankura and Bishnupur – in the southern part of the state.

A CISF personnel sustained serious head injury and vehicle of the BJP candidate Pranat Tudu contesting from Jhargram constituency was badly damaged when Trinamul Congress workers hurled bombs on them at Mangalpota village in the Garbeta area.

The agitating Trinamul Congress men, allegedly armed with bamboo sticks and rods attacked Tudu and CISF jawans hurling stones on them when he visited a polling booth there after getting information of booth jamming and rigging by the ruling party. The candidate managed to flee the spot.

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has received 1,985 complaints until 4 pm from different political parties alleging EVM malfunctions and agents being stopped from entering booths.

The ECI, however, claimed that voting has been peaceful so far.

Clashes reportedly broke out between supporters of the ruling Trinamul Congress and BJP in the Ghatal constituency over polling agents being prevented from entering the booths.

The agitating ruling party supporters squatted on the road and surrounded BJP candidate Hiran Chatterjee’s vehicles in Keshpur under Ghatal constituency.

“Our booth agents are not allowed to sit inside the booths,” he alleged.

BJP activists also staged a protest on the road and set tyres on fire in the area.

Trinamul Congress MP Dipak Adhikari alias Dev, contesting against Hiran however, rubbished the allegations.

Sporadic incidents of violence were also reported from various parts of the Kanthi constituency in East Midnapore district.

BJP activists staged protests against the central forces and accused them of assaulting voters.

“The TMC and the central forces are working against us. They are beating our party supporters,” BJP candidate Soumendu Adhikari claimed.

In the Midnapore constituency, BJP candidate Agnimitra Paul was seen facing “go back” slogans by TMC activists. Subsequently, a scuffle broke out between the BJP and TMC supporters, following which central forces reached the spot to disperse the mob.

In Tamluk, one of the keenly contested LS constituencies in the state, former Calcutta High Court judge and BJP candidate justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay was greeted with ‘go back’ slogans from Trinamul Congress supporters in some areas when he visited polling booths in Haldia and Nandigram. A large contingent of security personnel was deployed to bring the situation under control and disperse the crowd.

In the Bankura constituency, BJP candidate and Union minister Subhas Sarkar faced protests while visiting one of the booths in the area.

On Friday night, a Trinamul Congress worker in Mahishadal, under Tamluk constituency was killed by unidentified persons triggering tensions in the area.

The deceased, who has been identified as Sheikh Moibul, was a member of the local panchayat samiti.

Chief minister and Trinamul Congress chairperson Mamata Banerjee while addressing an election campaign in Haroa in North 24-Parganas today came down heavily on the saffron party, saying, “BJP again unleashed violence in several areas in Nandigram. An incident of murder was reported in Mahishadal last night and we will take political revenge against this.”