Kolkata, Dec 2 (IANS) A large number of duplicate and fake voter cards were recovered from a drain in the Nabadwip area of Nadia district in West Bengal on Tuesday, creating a sensation in the area.

According to the police, names and addresses on those cards matched those of some locals. However, it was known that their own voter cards are safe at their homes.

After the recovery of such duplicate cards, questions have been raised, such as where the voter cards came from and how they were made.

The incident created a stir in the backdrop of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise in West Bengal.

Locals alleged that the voter cards suddenly came to the attention of locals on Pratapnagar Hospital Road in Nabadwip. About 100 voter cards were abandoned in a drain on the side of the road. When they were picked up, they saw that there were voter cards with the names and addresses of some locals. After that, those people were contacted. But they all said that their voter cards were safe.

However, there were voter cards of many unknown people as well. Locals have raised various questions like where this huge amount of voter cards came from, whether they were fake or not, or who was using these voter cards and for what purpose.

Later, Nabadwip Police Station was informed about the incident. Officers reached the spot and recovered the voter cards.

Local BJP leader Ananda Das said, “We came to the spot after receiving the news that more than a hundred voter cards were lying around. Earlier, many ration cards were recovered from this Nabadwip area. This time, voter cards were recovered. And after looking at the details of the voter cards, I realised that some of the cards belong to known people. After contacting them, I found out that their cards are at home. So who made the duplicate cards and why? The Trinamool Congress will have to take full responsibility for this.”

On the other hand, Trinamool Congress councillor of ward number 5 of Nabadwip Municipality, Jhantulal Das, accused the BJP of a conspiracy. He said, “Trinamool has no role; rather, it is a conspiracy of the BJP. Besides, I am demanding a full investigation by the Election Commission.”

Regarding the recovered voter cards, Nabadwip BDO Manish Gupta said, “The police recovered those voter cards. We are also checking the names and identities of the voter cards. We are also trying to find out where and how the voter cards were made.”

–IANS

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