Thursday’s violence was however much muted compared to the frenzy of the recent panchayat elections, which had left 14 dead.

Heavyweight Congress leader Pranab Mukherjee is seeking re-election from Jangipur again, while another Congress strongman Adhir Choudhury is contesting Behrampur and Mannan Hussain Murshidabad.

Murshidabad’s district magistrate Perwez Ahmed Siddiqui said: “We are happy that a district with a record of political violence was peaceful today.” Pranab Mukherjee too claimed voting had been peaceful though he demanded repoll in two booths in Jangipur, where he said Congress agents were not allowed to function.

However, CPM leaders were not happy with the Congress, alleging they had fuelled widespread booth capture in all three constituencies. The deceased was 28-year-old Kashinath Mondol of Atghoria, who while returning from a polling booth, was caught in the middle of a clash between CPM and Congress workers. He was critically injured by a crude bomb and died on the spot. The CPM has claimed Mondol was their supporter.

In another incident, state animal husbandry minister and CPM candidate from Murshidabad, Anisur Rehman, was challenged by villagers after he was found allegedly intimidating voters in the Sitalnagar booth in Daspara. Later, villagers demonstrated before him after which he promptly left the area. Rehman said: “Congress workers were not allowing our voters to go inside the booth. They would not allow my car to pass.”

Minor clashes were reported from Kupila in Domkol area where four persons were injured, Raghunathgunj in Jangipur where Congress agents were allegedly forced out of polling booths and in Bansabari — also in Jangipur — where two groups hurled bombs at each other. A Congress worker also received bullet injuries in Nowda, in Murshidabad constituency.

CPM candidate at Jangipur Mriganko Bhattacharjee also complained of booth capturing and violence by Congress supporters. He said: “In Khargram, our supporter was killed when Congressmen hurled crude bombs at him. In areas like Jalangi, Khargram and Bansbati, Congress supporters attacked our men.”

Pranab seeks repoll
Pranab Mukherjee also demanded a re-poll in two booths in his constituency and alleged that his agents were not allowed to function inside the booths. “I have demanded re-poll in booth numbers 108 and 109 in Raghunathgunj. At booth number 108, Congress agents were not allowed to enter whereas at 109 the Congress agents were forced out of the booths,” added Mukherjee.