Democracy's Black Day
In Bengal, the last day of polling is being referred to as a "Black Day for Democracy." In what political observers are calling "unprecedented violence", voters have not just been intimidated and told to stay off the booths, but at least four people have been shot at, several thrown bombs at and many brutally beaten up. Seventeen people have been seriously injured. Comparing the scenes of violence to "a war-like situation" a television channel ran footage that showed injured people lying on the streets, bleeding, people writhing in pain, being ferried to hospitals and even being beaten up.