CPM cadres allegedly fired upon Bhoomi Uchched Protirodh Committee (BUPC) supporters when a group of villagers were returning home in Jalpai village in Nandigram Block I. The injured were rushed to the Nandigram Hospital. Lalmohan Das and Srikanta Das, who received bullet injuries, were later transferred to the Tamluk Hospital.

In another incident, the police lathicharged around 200 homeless BUPC supporters near the BDO office in Nandigram after they tried to snatch ballot boxes in protest against their ouster from the villages by CPM cadres.

In Purulia, most people stayed indoors in villages like Bagmundi, Balarampur and Asra. Clashes between Congress and CPM supporters were also reported from Sabang in West Midnapore.

In Nandigram, the CRPF personnel alleged that the local police were not letting them search houses for firearms. Search operations were stalled for two hours, but later resumed. “The police were not initially allowing us to search houses. But we stood our ground and now the search has resumed,” said CRPF officer.

The CPM top brass in the district advised mediapersons to keep off the polling booths on Sunday. “Don’t go near the polling booths. There might be problems,” an official said.

The district police, however, maintained that the overall situation was peaceful. “We are trying to ensure that the homeless return to their villages,” said East Midnapore SP S S Panda.

BUPC leaders also alleged that CPM cadres had snatched around 2,000 voter identity cards in several villages, including Satengabari, Gokulnagar, Jalpai, Saudkhali and Sonachura. Trinamool Congress leader Sheikh Sufiyan said: “This is a farce. The administration is escorting the villagers back to their homes. They are then beating them up and snatching their cards. We have lodged a number of complaints. I do not think our supporters will be allowed to vote tomorrow.”

BDO Shantiram Gorai said: “I have received such complaints. I am ready to issue temporary cards to such people or they can use other residential proof at the time of voting.”

On Saturday, the state EC announced special provisions for the voters of Nandigram 1 and 2 blocks whose voter identity cards had been stolen.

Voters in these two blocks will be allowed to cast their votes if their appearance matches with the photographs in the electoral rolls, said an official.