Murshidabad to Birbhum, blood and gore unveiled as TMC-BJP fight turns violent
The Statesman | 23 April 2026
Violence ripped through parts of West Bengal during polling, turning the high-stakes Assembly elections into a battleground, with clashes, stone pelting and lathi charges reported from multiple districts. From Murshidabad to Birbhum, scenes of chaos and bloodshed overshadowed the voting process, raising serious concerns over law and order.
Murshidabad emerged as the epicentre of unrest, where tensions spiralled in the Nowda assembly constituency after workers of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Aam Janata Unnayan Party (AUJP) clashed violently. Stones were hurled from both sides as police and central forces struggled to regain control.
Security personnel eventually resorted to a lathi charge to disperse the mob. “We are trying to control the situation,” said Additional Superintendent of Police Majid Khan.
The violence also saw property damage, including the vandalism of a car belonging to AUJP founder Humayun Kabir. Alleging an attack, Kabir accused the ruling party of intimidation and “goondagiri,” while demanding action against police officials. The TMC denied the charges, with local leader Sofiuzzaman Saikh accusing Kabir of attempting to disrupt polling with “anti-social elements.”
In a separate incident, at Booth No. 68 in Labhpur, BJP candidate Debashish Ojha’s election agent Bishwajit Mandal was allegedly assaulted by TMC workers, leaving him with a head injury. The episode has added to the growing list of complaints of violence and intimidation during polling.
After being allegedly attacked by TMC party workers, Bishwajit Mandal said, “I am an election agent…Few people complained to us that the entire booth is being captured….On my way back, I was attacked on the road. The booth was 100 metres away from the booth. They surrounded me from all sides. There were pieces of glass in my pocket…They destroyed the entire car…”
The first phase of the West Bengal elections witnessed clashes between the Trinamool Congress and the Congress at Murarai in Birbhum district on Thursday afternoon. The clashes took place near a polling station in Murarai and one Congress worker was injured. The Central Forces had to resort to a baton charge to disperse the clashing TMC and Congress workers. The injured Congress party worker was taken to a nearby health facility, where he received treatment for his injuries.
A BJP worker, identified as Bishwajit Mahato, was allegedly attacked in Jhargram district on Thursday, triggering tension in the area. According to initial reports, Mahato sustained injuries in the assault and was rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment. After receiving medical attention, he was taken to Jhargram Police Station.
BJP candidate Subhendu Sarkar also alleged that he was attacked and his vehicle vandalised by Trinamool Congress workers in his Assembly constituency during polling. Speaking to the media, Sarkar claimed that BJP polling agents were “forcibly removed” from 8-10 booths across the constituency. He said he intervened to ensure their re-entry and later visited Booth No. 24 to assess the situation, where the alleged attack took place.
“When I reached Booth No. 24, they attacked my team and me. It was clearly an attempt to create fear and intimidation,” Sarkar said. He also alleged that central forces deployed at the polling station were inside the premises but were not present when the incident occurred, adding that he was accompanied only by his bodyguard at the time. Sarkar further accused Mamata Banerjee of acting out of “fear and desperation,” claiming that the TMC was facing electoral defeat in the region.
As accusations fly and violence spreads across districts, the election has been marred by repeated disruptions, with polling-day clashes emerging as a major flashpoint in Bengal’s fierce political contest.