Death toll in India's West Bengal poll violence rises to 15

NEW DELHI, July 8 (Xinhua) -- At least 15 people were killed and scores injured on Saturday during the rural body elections locally known as panchayat polls in India's eastern state of West Bengal, officials said.

Reports from the state said five deaths were recorded in Murshidabad, followed by Cooch Behar where three people were killed. Two people each were killed in East Burdwan and North Dinajpur and one person each in Malda, Nadia and South 24 Parganas districts.

Ten of those killed were said to be workers and supporters of the ruling Trinamool Congress party.

The large-scale violence marred the voting at multiple political hotspots.

Among the injured nearly two dozen people suffered bullet wounds from country-made illegal weapons. The crude bomb attacks and the use of clubs, machetes and hurling of brickbats were also witnessed between the rival groups.

Attacks on polling stations and poll malpractices were also reported.

The political parties are blaming each other for the violence.

The voting began at 7:00 a.m. local time on Saturday and over 56 million voters were eligible to vote in the elections.

Local media quoted West Bengal election commission figures as saying a voter turnout of 66.28 percent was recorded until 5:00 p.m. local time.

According to India's state-run broadcaster All India Radio (AIR), at least 600 companies of paramilitary force personnel have been deployed for the elections, along with around 70,000 state police personnel in the poll-bound rural areas of the state.

The ruling Trinamool Congress alleged a "colossal failure" on the part of paramilitary forces tasked with security.

Ever since the elections were announced in West Bengal on June 8, violent incidents and killings were reported from across the state.

The voting was conducted in a single phase and the counting of votes is scheduled to take place on July 11.