Desk Correspondent , Kolkata - What started as an amiable day turned chaos. 23 April the first day of Legislative assembly polls, the approximate polled released by ECI at 11:00 AM is 41.11%. During the first phase supporters of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Humayun Kabir-led Aam Janata Unnayan Party (AUJP) engaged in direct confrontations. The unrest, which included reports of crude bombs being hurled and physical brawls near polling stations, was concentrated in high-stakes pockets where rival factions fought for territorial control.

The violence was triggered by a bitter political rivalry between the ruling TMC and Kabir’s breakaway AUJP, with both sides accusing each other of "booth jamming" and voter intimidation. In areas like Raghunathganj, the situation escalated as mobs used stone-pelting and road blockades to disrupt the movement of political candidates and voters. The fragmentation of the traditional vote bank in this Muslim-majority belt has turned the district into a volatile battleground, leading to heightened aggression between party workers.

In response to the deteriorating security situation, large contingents of Central Paramilitary Forces and state police were deployed to the affected zones. Authorities were forced to resort to mild lathi charges to disperse crowds and clear blocked access points to polling booths. While the Election Commission has requested detailed reports on the incidents, the heavy security presence remains on high alert to prevent further escalation as the polling window closes.