By Admin 
Voting is going on for the first phase of assembly elections in West Bengal on Thursday (April 23, 2026). Where bumper voting is taking place on one side. Even in the scorching heat, a large number of people are reaching the polling booth to vote, while violent incidents are also being reported at many places. Violent clashes have taken place at all places like Asansol, Malda, Cooch Behar, Siliguri, Murshidabad. At some places the candidates were surrounded, chased and beaten and at other places they were pelted with bricks and stones.
In Kumarganj of South Dinajpur, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate Suvendu Sarkar was allegedly manhandled. He was heading towards a polling booth after reports of disturbances. The government claimed that he was beaten and his car was broken in the presence of the police. Trinamool Congress (TMC) denied this allegation and accused him of trying to incite unrest.
Stones were thrown at the car of BJP MLA and candidate Agnimitra Paul near Rehmat Nagar in her Asansol South constituency, breaking the rear glass of the car. She said, ‘When I was coming out of a polling booth, stones were thrown at my moving car. The rear glass was broken. It is very clear who is behind this. He alleged that this is an attempt to influence the elections, and also said that a complaint has also been filed in this regard. Police said that the matter is under investigation and security arrangements have been tightened.
Clashes were reported from Naoda in Murshidabad, where supporters of Aam Janata Unnayan Party (AJUP) and TMC came face to face, following which central forces had to resort to lathi charge following incidents of stone pelting and vandalism. Tension was rising since morning, when AJUP chief Humayun Kabir reached a polling booth and faced opposition.
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In Birbhum’s Labhpur, a polling agent of BJP candidate Debashish Ojha was allegedly attacked, leaving him with head injuries and tension spreading in the area. Similar allegations came to light from Chanchal in Malda, where a BJP polling agent was allegedly beaten up and his clothes were torn.
At least two people were injured in clashes between Congress and TMC workers in Murarai, while tension was also reported from Domkal in Murshidabad, where locals alleged that they were being prevented from reaching polling stations. Later, the Election Commission (EC) deployed additional security personnel to escort the voters to the polling stations under security cover.
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After TMC workers allegedly blocked roads near polling stations in Cooch Behar, central forces intervened and cleared them to ensure movement of voters. Apart from this, there was also a heated argument between TMC and BJP leaders over the alleged violation of model code of conduct in Mathabhanga.
Sporadic tension was also reported from Moyna in East Medinipur, where sloganeering by supporters of opposition parties spread panic among voters. However, later central forces intervened and controlled the situation.