India, April 27 -- Sporadic incidents of violence were reported in Howrah and Haroa areas of West Bengal in the run-up to the second phase of polling on April 29, a senior police official said on Sunday.

In Howrah town, clashes broke out between Trinamool Congress and BJP supporters over the chanting of slogans during a roadshow of the saffron party's Uttar Howrah candidate Umesh Rai. As the roadshow passed by a TMC election office in the area on GT Road, TMC supporters chanted its poll slogan 'Joy Bangla' that was countered by BJP supporters with the "Jai Shri Ram" chant,

This led to an altercation between two groups, leading to a scuffle that prompted central forces to baton-charge both BJP and TMC supporters, a police official said....