At least nine people were arrested after a violent clash broke out between workers of the Bharatiya Janata Party and the All India Trinamool Congress in Kolkata during the ongoing West Bengal Assembly election campaign.
The incident occurred outside the Ekbalpur Police Station in the city on Monday, at a time when campaigning has reached a peak ahead of the first phase of polling. According to police, tensions escalated during a political programme when supporters from both parties engaged in slogan-shouting, which soon turned into a physical confrontation.
Officials confirmed that nine individuals—five BJP workers and four TMC workers—were taken into custody following the clash. Multiple complaints have been filed, and police have registered cases to investigate the incident further.
Eyewitness accounts suggest that the situation intensified rapidly, forcing police personnel to intervene and restore order. The clash highlights the increasingly charged political atmosphere in West Bengal, where rivalry between the BJP and the ruling TMC has been intensifying in the run-up to the elections.
The state is set to vote in two phases, beginning April 23, making the final days of campaigning particularly crucial. Political parties have ramped up rallies, roadshows, and grassroots outreach, but the heightened activity has also led to sporadic incidents of violence across different parts of the state.
Authorities have assured strict action against those involved in election-related violence. Security arrangements have been tightened across sensitive areas, especially in Kolkata and surrounding districts, to prevent further clashes.
Meanwhile, both parties have blamed each other for provoking the incident, a pattern seen in previous confrontations during the election season. The development adds to growing concerns over maintaining law and order during the polls, with the Election Commission and local administration under pressure to ensure peaceful voting.
As West Bengal heads into a crucial electoral battle, such incidents underscore the high-stakes nature of the contest and the intense political polarisation on the ground.
