An elephant surprised voters by showing up at a polling station in Jhargram’s Jitushol before the start of the first phase of Assembly elections in West Bengal. The incident briefly disrupted proceedings, prompting forest department officials to intervene and restore order. The elephant, locally known as ‘Ramlal,’ appeared near the polling station but did not cause any harm, simply inspecting a nearby vehicle before leaving on its own.
The unexpected presence of ‘Ramlal’ drew a crowd to the polling station, leading forest workers to relocate the elephant to a safe distance. Subsequently, voting proceeded smoothly at the affected polling station. To address concerns about elephant movements, the forest department has assembled a specialized team, including an ‘Airavat’ vehicle, to monitor and manage elephant activities in the area.
In the ongoing first phase of the West Bengal Assembly polls, security measures are extensive, with 2,407 companies of central forces deployed across 16 districts. This includes personnel from various security forces, such as Central Armed Police Forces, India Reserve Battalion, and officers from West Bengal Police and Kolkata Police. The second phase of polling for the remaining 142 Assembly constituencies is scheduled for April 29, with results expected on May 4.
