Breaking News: Hooghly clash, Jatgadal violence & arrests as Bengal poll tension escalates

Tension escalated in West Bengal ahead of the second phase of Assembly elections as fresh clashes broke out between supporters of the All India Trinamool Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party in multiple districts, including Hooghly and North 24 Parganas. Voting for 142 seats is scheduled on April 29, with campaigning set to end shortly, but reports of violence have raised concerns over law and order. In Hooghly’s Goghat area, BJP and TMC workers reportedly engaged in a violent confrontation, forcing police to intervene to control the situation. Meanwhile, in Jagatdal, North 24 Parganas, fresh violence erupted near a police station, leading to stone-pelting, chaos, and allegations of firing. Police personnel were deployed in large numbers to restore order. Following the incident, police launched a crackdown, conducting raids at around 15 locations and arresting four individuals, including a local TMC councillor identified as Gopal Raut from Bhattapara municipality. His arrest triggered protests from TMC supporters outside the Bhattapara police station, demanding his immediate release and blocking roads in protest. Authorities confirmed that security has been tightened across sensitive zones such as Kolkata, Howrah, Nadia, South 24 Parganas, and North 24 Parganas ahead of polling day. Opposition leaders have accused each other of instigating violence, while police continue to investigate the sequence of events. Local BJP candidate Rajesh Kumar alleged that the violence was politically motivated and claimed he was targeted during his visit to file a complaint at the police station. The situation remains tense but under control, with heavy police deployment in affected areas. As West Bengal enters the final hours of campaigning, the incidents have added to already heightened political tensions in the state.

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