Many claimed dead in post-poll violence in Bengal; Mamata Banerjee appeals for calm

West Bengal was in the throes of widespread violence on Monday that allegedly left several BJP workers dead and injured in clashes and shops being looted prompting the Union Home ministry to seek a factual report from the state governent on incidents of attack on opposition workersVideos of arson at a BJP office with bamboo poles and roof tiles burning amid worried cries of people running away from the premises were shared by the party Photos of dead men and people scampering with apparel looted from a shop were everywhere on social mediaBJP claimed at least six of its workers and supporters including a woman was killed in attacks the party blamed on the TMCThe BJP shared a video with journalists showing a ransacked party office in Nandigram where piles of documents posters and broken furniture lay scattered everywhere Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had Sunday lost the seat to her former lieutenantturnedadversary Suvendu AdhikariGovernor Jagdeep Dhankhar summoned state Home Secretary DGP and Kolkata Commissioner of Police and directed them to restore peaceHe discussed with them the situation following the incidents that took place a day after the ruling TMC returned to power with an overwhelming majority crushing the BJPACS Home HomeBengal who was called by me in wake of rising post poll violence in State has been directed to submit report on post poll violence and vandalism in State amp steps taken Dhankhar tweeted after meeting Home Secretary H K DwivediHe also separately met DGP P Nirajnayan and Police Commissioner Soumen Mitra and directed them to restore law and orderDGP West Bengal Police and Commissioner of Kolkata Police summoned by me in the wake of continually rising post poll incidents of arson looting and violence as also killings in the state were indicated of alarming scenario Called upon them to take all steps to restore law and order he addedMHA has asked West Bengal Government for a report on the postelection violence targeting opposition political workers in the state a spokesperson tweetedBanerjee meanwhile urged her supporters to maintain peace amid reports of violence and asked them not to fall prey to provocationsThe central forces committed many atrocities on TMC supporters during the elections she allegedEven after the results were announced BJP attacked our supporters in certain areas but we ask our men not to get provoked and instead report to the police she told a press conferenceBJP national spokesman Anil Baluni said before being killed a BJP worker was on Facebook live twice to say even animals and children were not being spared by the attackersHe also shared pictures of people with massive cuts on head and unconscious men lying with bandages wrapped around their limbsA video showed young men running away with clothes looted from a shop named Hong Kong Fashion The faces of some of them were smeared with green colour and a voice apparently of the man shooting it gleefully said Yehi hona chahiye thahum to mijaz bana rahe the This should have happened I was preparing for itAnother video clip showed a group of burqa clad women standing outside the shop shouting angrily and asking yeh Mamata raj hai ki goonda raj hai is it the rule of Mamata Banerjee or the rule of hooligansOne of them said her brother ran Hong Kong Fashion and worked for the BJPIt was his choice why should anyone stop him People should be free to be with anyone vote for anyoneTMC or BJP she said as some other women joined her and were seen raging against the perpetrators much of which was not comprehensibleThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever