Siliguri, April 24 -- The ballots may have been cast, but in parts of North Bengal, the real drama unfolded after polling ended - on dark village roads, outside strong rooms, and under the unblinking gaze of mobile phone cameras.
Across districts like Malda and Alipurduar, an unusual trend emerged following the first phase of polling on April 23: groups of alert - if anxious -villagers and political workers turning into self-appointed watchdogs, tracking every movement of vehicles carrying Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), often halting them mid-route over fears of tampering.
One such striking episode played out in Malda's Habibpur constituency, where tension gripped Gholadanga village under Bamongola block late Thursday night. As offici...