“Police had to intervene as five persons were injured. Even the police jeep was attacked. Two police personnel were injured in the incident. Fifteen persons have been arrested from Jadubari Chowk,” Pallab Kanti Ghosh, DSP, East Midnapore, said.

Meanwhile, a group of nearly 1,000 villagers took part in a 15-km long walk from Mahespur to Satengabari to bury Meer and Sania. The villagers included nearly 300 Trinamool supporters from Satengabari who had been dispossessed of their homes allegedly by CPI(M) supporters and have been accommodated in camps in Mahespur. Satengabari seethed with tension as many of the uprooted Trinamool supporters vowed to avenge their being driven out of their homes once the elections were over.

Sabina Begum (name changed to protect her identity), Meer’s sister, a Nandigram rape victim who was not allowed to cast her vote on Thursday allegedly by CPI(M) supporters, was also part of the procession.

“I lost my brother as he had organised TC voters to cast their votes ignoring the threat of CPI(M) activists,” she said. The procession which started from Mahespur at around 9 am and reached Satengabari around 10.30 am, was escorted by the police and RAF.

Shiek Saharul, Meer’s son, said, “At least 25-30 CPI(M) activists attacked our house around 3.30 am. Tahid, Hosanur and Bagha, all CPI(M) activists, led the group. Tahid hit my father with a wooden stick. They then dragged him out and beat him with iron rods and wooden sticks. I have disclosed the names of the people to the police.”

“Police have conducted raids in Satengabari but all the men of the village have fled the place,” said DSP Ghosh.

Sania, who was also killed in poll violence and whose mother Aleya Bibi sustained gunshot wounds, was buried near her house. Her elder sister, 10-year-old Sukina, recounted the events of the tragic day.

“Armed men attacked some houses around 4:30 pm. My mother Aleya bibi went out with my sister to watch what was happening. They fired from across the pond. One bullet hit Sania in the leg and went into my mother’s belly,” she said.

Safiul, Sania’s father, said precious time was lost as the roads in Giribazar had been cut off and that she could have been saved had she reached the hospital earlier.