WB panchayat polls: Police conduct searches after tip of bombs stockpiled in South 24 Parganas district

South 24 Parganas (West Bengal) [India], July 8 : A search operation was underway ahead of the West Bengal panchayat polls, on Friday, after police received information that crude bombs and weapons have been stockpiled in the district, an official statement said on Friday.

Police said that they received information about bombs and weapons that had been stockpiled to create disturbance during polling for panchayats in the district.

However, they added that nothing has been found yet.

"We had received information about the presence of bombs and weapons here, but till now we have not found anything. A search operation is underway. We have come to know from sources that preparations are being made to create disturbance during polling. We have information that crude bombs have been hidden in the area and searches are underway to find them," SDPO Dibakar Das told ANI.

Meanwhile, a Congress-CPIM alliance worker was injured on Saturday after he was shot at allegedly by TMC workers in Cooch Behar.

The injured claimed that the TMC was unleashing violence as it had realised that the Congress-CPIM alliance would fare well in the district.

"I was going out of my house after having food when TMC people shot me. Congress-CPIM will get good votes here so TMC is doing this to stop people from voting," he said.

Multiple incidents of violence have been reported in the state in the run-up to the panchayat elections.

Earlier, on Friday, the home of a BJP candidate was attacked allegedly by Trinamool Congress (TMC) workers.

The incident took place in the Kalmati area of Bamanhat II gram panchayat in the Dinhata area of Cooch Behar district.

The injured were admitted to a private hospital in Cooch Behar.

On July 1, a Trinamool Congress (TMC) worker was allegedly shot dead in West Bengal's South 24 Parganas district.

The deceased was found lying with a bullet injury on his head on the side of the road at Basanti police station.

Earlier, a TMC worker was allegedly beaten to death in the Malda district.

The panchayat elections will be held in a single phase, with the counting of votes scheduled on July 11.

The polls are likely to see a fierce tussle for control of local administrations between the ruling TMC and the BJP and will be a litmus test for both parties ahead of next year's Lok Sabha elections.

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