Director General of Police Sujit Sarkar refused to comment on Sen’s remark. “I will not like to say anything on what the home secretary has said. Please ask him,” Sarkar said. Discounting any allegation of failure by the police to rein in the miscreants, I G (Law and Order) Raj Kanojia, who is currently in Delhi, said police are making mass arrests to bring the situation under control. “Wherever a clash occurs, we send huge contingents of policemen. We are also engaging in all-party meeting at various levels to contain the violence,” Kanojia said.

In districts like East Midnapore and Hooghly, where clashes have refused to die down, police have deployed around 300 to 400 policemen, including Rapid Action Force (RAF).

Though police have been taken aback by the non-ending cycle of political violence, which normally continues for a week or two after election results are declared, senior officers say the state armed police and RAF are capable of bringing the situation under control.

“At various sensitive pockets, policemen and personnel of RAF have been deployed. This time, the violence is continuing even days after the results were announced. We did not expect this,” said a senior officer at the Writers’ Buildings.

The police are holding the politicians responsible who, they say, interfere in police action. “At various places in Murshidabad, Hooghly and East Midnapore political leaders are interfering. Leaders of both parties are hindering our actions,” said another senior police officer.

“For instance, when a clash broke out in Khanakul in Hooghly recently, local leaders of both the Opposition and the ruling parties stopped police from moving in. They said that they will take care of the situation. At many places there, local political leaders led armed rallies in defiance of Section 144 imposed in 17 villages of Khanakul,” said an officer.

Another factor, according to the police, that is fuelling such clashes is the admission process in the colleges across the state. As the Opposition is trying to get control over the colleges, the ruling Left parties are desperately trying to hold on, resulting in clashes, police sources said.

Nearly 60 per cent victims belong to CPM
Even as incidents of clashes between rival political groups continue to rock the state nearly a month after election results were declared, there are apprehensions that it may further escalate.

Till date, political parties have put the toll at 70 with CPM claiming to lose most of its supporters. So far, according to the CPM, it has lost 40 of its supporters, while rival Trinamool Congress has claimed losing 20 party workers. Congress, an ally of Trinamool, claims of losing eight of its supporters in the clashes in Murshidabad, Hooghly and Birbhum. Other Left Front partners have claimed of losing less number of people. All India Forward Bloc lost two of its supporters, while supporters of RSP and CPI have been injured. “It is our partymen who are losing their lives. The numbers show the character of the Opposition. The people will answer them. It is the duty of the police to control the violence,” said Binoy Konar, CPM central committee member.