At least four persons died and 17 others were injured in a clash that broke out between the CPM and Congress workers at Ghugupara village under Islampore police station in Murshidabad district on Monday morning.

While the police said that four persons — three CPM men and one Congress supporter — were killed in the clash, both CPM and Congress camps claimed that five persons have lost their lives.

The clash broke out over the election of managing committees in local schools that took place on Sunday.

SP of Murshidabad, B L Mina, said the condition of four persons is critical and added that 25 people have been arrested in connection with the violence.

A memeber of CPM zonal committee, Ahesan Ali, said four CPM men, including a party leader, were killed allegedly by Congress supporters. He said the violence was the result of a long political rivalry between the two parties in the village.

According to him, after a Congress supporter died of a gunshot at Gughupara early this morning, his party workers from adjacent villages attacked the house of a CPM Zonal committee member, Raul Amin.

Other three CPM activists — Lalu Sekh, Anarul Sekh and Rabiul Sekh — who had taken shelter at Amin’s house were dragged outside by Congress supporters and lynched by sharp weapons, said Ali. According to him, police reached the spot only after a few hours.

The Congress, on the other hand, blamed the CPM for inciting the violence.

Ashoke Das, general secretary of Murshidabad unit of Congress party alleged that CPM supporters attacked the Congress man after they won the Paharpur High School election. The CPM camp became enthusiastic after its victory in the school election on Sunday as the party had lost 164 out of 239 school polls in the district, said Das.