Bengal polls: Clashes break out between AJUP, TMC workers in Murshidabad
Naoda (WB) (PTI): Clashes broke out between supporters of the Aam Janata Unnayan Party (AJUP) and the ruling TMC in Naoda area in West Bengal's Murshidabad district on Thursday, prompting police and central forces to resort to baton charge to disperse the mob, officials said.
The violence was reported from Shibnagar village in the Naoda assembly constituency during the first phase of the state assembly polls.
Several incidents of vehicle vandalism were reported. Workers of Humayun Kabir’s (AJUP) were accused of being involved in the disturbances, though he denied all the allegations.
Central forces resorted to a lathi charge to bring the situation under control. The Election Commission has sought a report on the incident, the officials said.
Tension had been brewing since the morning when the AJUP chief visited a polling booth in the area after casting his vote.
Kabir was greeted with protests by TMC supporters, who raised "go back" slogans and surrounded his vehicle, branding him a "BJP agent".
The situation turned tense, with heated exchanges taking place between the two sides near the polling station.
The AJUP leader later staged a sit-in at the spot and accused the ruling party of intimidating voters and being involved in electoral malpractices.
Kabir also alleged that the TMC had bribed several of his party candidates to keep them out of the poll fray, a charge the ruling party did not immediately respond to.
The officials said the situation escalated later in the day when clashes broke out between supporters of the two parties.
"Both groups hurled stones and bricks at each other, leading to a law and order situation in the area," a senior official said.
Police and central forces intervened and carried out a baton charge to disperse the mobs and bring the situation under control, he added.
Security personnel were deployed in large numbers in and around the polling station to prevent further escalation, another official said.
The incident comes amid the first phase of polling in 152 assembly constituencies across the state, where voting has been largely peaceful with sporadic incidents of tension reported from some pockets.
The second round of polling is scheduled on April 29, and counting on May 4.
#WATCH | West Bengal Elections 2026 | TMC workers smashed the car of a worker of the Aam Janata Unnayan Party (AUJP) as a clash broke out between the TMC and Aam Janata Unnayan Party (AUJP) party workers in Murshidabad. pic.twitter.com/2XKV0Y4rZ3
— ANI (@ANI) April 23, 2026
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Assembly polls: Voting ends, TN witnesses record 82.24 per cent turnout
Chennai (PTI): Voting for the Tamil Nadu Assembly election ended at 6 PM on Thursday and electors who gathered in the polling stations before the time for closure of polling were allowed to vote, officials said.
About 82.24 per cent of the 5.73 crore eligible voters exercised their franchise in the election to the 234-member strong Tamil Nadu Assembly, a record turnout. This was the provincial figure till 5 pm and the final data will be made available following consolidation of data, officials added.
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People voted in as many as 75,064 polling stations in 33,133 locations to decide the fortunes of 4,023 candidates.
The DMK, which heads the Secular Progressive Alliance, is seeking to retain power, and is leading a multi-party coalition that includes Congress, Left parties and the VCK. The AIADMK, heading the National Democratic Alliance, on the other hand, is pushing for a return to power with allies BJP, AMMK and PMK, among others, in tow.
Actor Vijay-led TVK is attempting to break the decades long tradition of DMK and AIADMK alternatively ruling the state and form its government.
Despite the scorching sun, people turned up enthusiastically in polling stations right from 7 AM onwards and cast their votes and those who had gathered before 6 PM, the appointed time for closure of polling, were allowed to vote.
