133 individuals of violence-hit West Bengal seek refuge in Assam's Dhubri district

133 individuals who feared for their lives due to the violence surrounding the panchayat election in West Bengal have sought refuge in the Dhubri District of Assam. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma confirmed the news, stating that the state government has provided them with shelter, food, and medical assistance in a relief camp.

The State Election Commission (SEC) responded to the widespread reports of vote-tampering and violence by declaring the polling "void" in 19 districts, necessitating re-polling at 697 booths across those areas. The commission held a meeting on July 9 to assess the situation and decided to take action. The results of the election are scheduled to be announced on July 11.

The panchayat elections witnessed sporadic violence in several parts of north and south Bengal, including Cooch Behar, North Dinajpur, South Dinajpur, Murshidabad, Malda, Howrah, South 24 Parganas, and East Burdwan. At least 19 people lost their lives during the three-tier election process. One TMC worker also died due to injuries sustained in a bomb explosion at Sitalkuchi in Cooch Behar district.

Meanwhile, the counting of votes is currently underway in the violence-hit panchayat and rural body elections in West Bengal. This follows a day of repolling across 696 polling booths in 19 districts. As per the latest updates, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) is leading in 461 seats, while the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is ahead in 92 seats, and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) trails with 108 seats.