Tension gripped Bengal’s Asansol a day before vote counting after a sealed envelope containing documents and a switched-off mobile phone was recovered from a parked vehicle near a strongroom where EVMs are stored.
The incident comes amid allegations by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of counting malpractice and EVM tampering ahead of results day.
According to sources, the matter came to light when BJP workers checked a vehicle parked close to the strongroom at Asansol Engineering College and found the envelope inside. The packet reportedly carried markings indicating a link to the Raniganj Assembly constituency. The vehicle was on election duty, thus linked to the Election Commission.
BJP supporters staged a protest outside the campus soon after the recovery. They alleged a “conspiracy” and demanded immediate seizure of the vehicle and a thorough probe into the incident.
Police arrived at the spot following the protest. Deputy Commissioner of Police Dhruvi Das led a team that seized the mobile phone and documents from the envelope.
According to police officials, an investigation is on to determine the origin of the envelope, the nature of the documents and how the mobile phone ended up inside it.
Dismissing allegations of foul play, the TMC’s Asansol district president said police should also examine whether the phone could be linked to devices stolen during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s April 9 rally in the constituency. Around 450 mobile phones were reportedly swiped by pickpockets at the Polo Ground event, sparking a major controversy at the time.
Security has been tightened in and around the strongroom, with officials assuring strict action if any irregularities are found.
In a separate incident in Bhabanipur, Mamata Banerjee’s assembly constituency, TMC workers alleged that two vehicles bearing BJP flags were allowed entry into a compound housing EVMs. This sparked another row.
With the Bengal vote count on May 4, workers from TMC and the BJP have intensified vigil outside strongrooms across the state, closely monitoring security arrangements.
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