Kolkata: Nine persons were killed and 18 others, including three polling officials were injured, as the panchayat elections in West Bengal on May 11 turned violent, with the police opening fire at two places.

About 50 per cent votes were cast in the rural polls till 2:00 pm (IST).

State election commissioner Ajay Sinha said that two SUCI (Socialist Unity of India) women activists were killed at Joynagar and a Communist Party of India (CPM) worker at Canning in poll clashes in South 24 Parganas district.

The father of Trinamool Congress candidate Lutfar Rahman for Khamarpara Panchayat Samiti, Haji Anwar Ali was shot dead by miscreants at his home in Madanpur in Barasat in North 24 Parganas, he said.

In Sibdaspur also in North 24 Parganas a CPM supporter Sheikh Salim was killed in a poll related clash. There was no polling in the area till noon as a consequence, Sinha said.

Congress supporter Manirul Sheikh was killed and three others were injured at Ranitala in Murshidabad district when anti-socials threw bombs at people waiting to cast their ballots in front of two booths, the Election Commission said.

Congress gram panchayat candidate Hakib Sheikh and two others were killed when the bombs they were making burst in Murshidabad district.

The bodies were found on May 11 morning at Domkal, Saranpur and Raninagar areas, Murshidabad superintendent of police, Virender said.

The police opened fire at Domkal and Salar in the same district to prevent snatching of ballots, he said. There was no casualty in the firing.

PTI