Bengal Governor visits violence-hit Dinhata, meets opposition leaders ahead of rural polls – News18

West Bengal Governor CV Anand Bose on Saturday visited the violence-hit areas of Dinhata in Cooch Behar district and met the family members of a person killed during a firing incident ahead of the June 27 panchayat polls, an official said. met up with.

The governor also visited a hospital in Cooch Behar where those injured in the clash are undergoing treatment.

Bose is on a tour of the northern districts of the state.

Earlier in the day, Union Minister of State for Home Nisith Pramanik called on the Governor at Circuit House in the district.

Bose also spoke to candidates and leaders of the CPI(M), Congress and BJP, who expressed concern over the reported incidents of violence in Cooch Behar ahead of the July 8 rural polls.

One person was killed and four others injured in an incident of firing during a clash between two groups of people in Dinhata on Tuesday morning.

A senior police officer said at least four people have been detained for their alleged involvement in the murder ahead of the panchayat polls.

“The governor went to meet the family members of the deceased at their residence in Dinhata,” the official said.

Pramanik and opposition party leaders also urged Bose to ensure that law and order is maintained and people can exercise their franchise in the panchayat elections.

“We are hopeful that the governor will take necessary steps so that people can vote peacefully,” Pramanik told reporters in Coochbehar.

The leaders also alleged that they were “unable to go out for campaigning” for the upcoming elections due to “atrocities” by the ruling Trinamool Congress.

“We are unable to step out of our homes and normal life has been affected. We have urged the governor to look into the matter,” said a CPI(M) candidate after his conversation with Bose.

Meanwhile, fresh tension erupted in Cooch Behar’s Okrabari area on Friday night, another police officer said.

Family members of a Congress candidate in Okrabari alleged that their house caught fire after “some miscreants supported by the ruling Trinamool Congress hurled bombs there”.

A fire tender was deployed to douse the blaze and a probe into the incident has been launched, the police officer said.

Describing himself as the “Ground Zero governor”, Bose said on Thursday that he would continue to visit the violence-affected areas to get firsthand knowledge of what was happening.

“I canceled all my trips to come here. I am planning to meet the victims of the violence and take stock of the situation,” Bose said in Cooch Behar.

Reacting to Bose’s visit to north Bengal, Trinamool Congress leader Shobhandeb Chattopadhyay said the governor can roam anywhere in the state, but he should work in a “non-partisan manner”.

“I think the governor should change his jersey. The post of governor is constitutional. He should work in a non-partisan manner, which he has not been able to do.”

Last month, at least eight people were killed and several injured in different parts of the state in widespread violence during the filing of nominations for rural polls.

(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed – PTI,