Journalist injured amid poll clashes in West Bengal

A national media stringer, Bunty Mukherjee, suffered a severe head injury during violent clashes between TMC and BJP workers in Canning, under the Jaynagar Lok Sabha constituency, during the final phase of the Lok Sabha polls in West Bengal on June 1.

The incident occurred as stone pelting erupted between the two rival groups on the last day of voting. Mukherjee has been transferred to Medica Super Specialty Hospital in Kolkata for treatment.

In a related incident, a local mob looted Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and threw two VVPAT machines into a pond in South 24 Parganas, according to officials.

BJP leader Amit Malviya condemned the violence, saying, "Democracy is up in flames in West Bengal. Bombs have been hurled in Jadavpur's Bhangar, and irate villagers in Joynagar's Kulti have thrown an EVM and VVPAT machine into a pond because TMC goons won't let them vote," he posted on X (formerly Twitter).

Voting is currently underway in nine constituencies in West Bengal, including Barasat, Basirhat, Diamond Harbour, Dum Dum, Jaynagar, Jadavpur, Kolkata Dakshin, Kolkata Uttar, and Mathurapur.