BJP-Cong workers clash : Cops blank fire
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, May 25 2011:
In poll related violence, police resorted to opening blank fire when workers of two candidates contesting in the election to Imphal Municipal Council for the post of Councillor clashed against each other at Mahabali Kabui village today.
The clash broke out between workers of Indian National Congress and BJP over the allegation and counter allegation of proxy voting at around 3.30 pm today in polling station no.19/9-Mahabali Rongmei LP School of IMC ward no.19 under Yaiskul Assembly Constituency of Imphal East district.
According to information culled from the site of the incident, at first workers of the Indian National Congress candidate came to the polling station and directed the polling personnel on duty not to allow any proxy voting.
Not long after that, the BJP candidate and his workers drove a Bolero Jeep inside the polling station in great haste.
As soon as the Bolero stopped, the two parties started arguing which soon turned into a physical confrontation.
To bring the situation under control, police personnel who were deployed in the polling station opened blank fire for 4/5 rounds.
At least six workers of the Congress candidate including women, who sustained injuries in the clash, have been reportedly hospitalised.
The condition of one of the injured women workers is said to be serious.
The clash, however, did not affect the progress of the polling in the station which has 604 voters.
At the end of the polling period, 80 percent polling was recorded in the said polling station.
Similar poll related violence among workers of candidates also erupted at the polling station opened at Kongba Meitei Mayek High School over the allegation proxy voting.
However, the police managed to bring the situation from getting out of control.