Violence erupted in the fourth phase of elections in Bengal in which five people were killed in two separate incidents. Four people were killed when central forces opened fire on an unruly mob in Sitalkuchi assembly constituency in Mathabhanga block of the Cooch Behar district on Saturday. In another incident in the same constituency, a first-time voter was killed, taking the total number of deaths to five. Sources in the Election Commission said that a preliminary report that reached the special police observer Vivek Dubey, suggests that the central forces had to open fire in self-defence.

According to the report, there was tension at booth no. 126 at Amtali in Jor Patki village in Sitalkuchi since morning, and as there were more than 400 people in front of the booth, the forces tried to disperse the mob. When they were trying to move the mob away from the booth, more people started rushing in and tried to snatch their firearms. This prompted the force to open fire, in which four people were killed.