West Bengal elections: TMC workers target Ratna Debnath, RG Kar rape victim's mother and BJP candidate, as tensions flare up in Panihati

Amid polling for the second phase of the West Bengal Assembly elections for the remaining 142 constituencies, fresh tensions have sprung up in Panihati, where Ratna Debnath, the mother of the RG Kar rape victim, is contesting the elections under the BJP banner.

Debnath had allegedly gone to the New Adarsh Nagar area to have a look at the progress of voting at booth number 165 in Panihati, where she is contesting against the TMC's Tirthankar Ghosh.

However, she alleged that her car was surrounded by TMC workers, who shouted slogans such as 'go back' and 'Joy Bangla'.

Notably, this comes nearly two years after the rape and murder of Debnath's daughter—a doctor at the R.G. Kar Hospital in Kolkata, for whom she had entered politics.

As a result, the area soon saw tensions flare up between BJP and TMC workers over the R.G. Kar case, with both sides shouting slogans and heated allegations.

"Chasing them away won’t solve anything; they will come again. Strict action must be taken," she said, as per an IANS report.

Sekharranjan Debnath, the father of the R.G. Kar victim, alleged that the police had not even tried removing the TMC workers, "but asked us to go away from the spot".

"TMC goons on motorbike were present on the way as we were passing. They also sloganeered at us. They brought many more TMC goons with them and tried to attack us ... They are doing all this because they are scared of us," he told ANI.

"It's very sad that we have to resort to this method to get justice for our girl. But we will win and get justice for our daughter," he added.

However, Panihati was also witness to a few other voting-related issues over the course of the day.

This includes a spot of ink that was reportedly on the BJP's symbol button at a polling booth in Panihati, making it difficult to read. 

After objections from voters, the ink stain was removed an hour later, which led to TMC workers gathering there and allegedly creating a ruckus with Jay Saha, the Chief Election Agent for Ratna Debnath.

This comes after Ratna had earlier flagged another possible issue with an EVM at a polling booth in her constituency.

"I feel there is some problem with the press button on the EVM. It is taking time to press it; I will inform the officer. I thank every voter who came early to vote, and I appeal to all voters to come out and vote. I believe I will get justice," she told ANI.