Seven killed in clashes over local elections in India

At least seven people were killed and dozens injured in India on Saturday in clashes sparked by local elections in West Bengal, a state known for recurring political violence during election campaigns.

 

The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has been working in recent years to gain a foothold in the state, which has long been governed by the Communist Party, in an effort to expand its influence beyond the Hindi-speaking northern regions.

 

Currently, voters are participating in elections to choose members of municipal councils from among 200,000 candidates in the state, which is home to 104 million people.

 

Javed Shamim, the director-general of police in West Bengal, told Agence France-Presse, "Seven people were killed and dozens injured in election-related violence in different villages across the state."

 

Another police officer, who requested anonymity as he was not authorized to speak to the media, confirmed that five of the deceased belonged to the ruling Trinamool Congress party.