Violence mars polling in the hill assembly constituencies
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, January 28, 2012: Though the conduct of polling in the valley was by and large peaceful, incidents of snatching or vandalizing EVMs, kidnapping workers and threatening voters from exercising their franchise have been reported in various polling stations located in the hill districts.

According to report reaching here, tension ran high at Polling station 53/22 in Tamenglong when a candidate of Naga People's Front (NPF) and his workers came down and tried to kidnap the agents working in the polling station at around 10.50 am today.

In Senapati district, unidentified miscreants snatched away EVMs from polling stations 49/15 and 49/16 of Mao and Hundung respectively.

The incident occurred at around 10.50 am today.

At around 11 am, EVMs were also snatched from polling station 59/12 located at Gorkha Tupul under Kangpokpi A/C as well as from polling station 50/9 located at Panikshetru and polling station 50/3 located at Gorkha Arup, all under the same Constituency.

At polling station 48/22 under Mao Assembly Constituency, NPF candidate and his workers allegedly threatened the voters, compelling the BSF personnel deployed for election duty to intervene in controlling the situation from getting out of hand.

In Ukhrul district, all the agents from polling stations 44/24 (A) and 44/26 (B) located at Hundung, Ukhrul were reportedly chased away by armed NSCN (IM) cadres at around 11.30 am while some unidentified persons indulged in proxy voting at Phatang, Tuinem and Samtal areas under Chingai Assembly Constituency.

In polling station 45/90-Tuchum and polling station45/47-Ringkai Tungou, also under Chingai Assembly Constituency, the EVMs were reportedly snatched.

In Chandel district, some unidentified persons vandalised the EVMs in polling station 41/23 located in Modi village at around 12.30 pm.

Similar acts of violence of destroying EVMs also took place at polling stations 42/4, 42/8, 42/39 (Laiching Minou Kumbi Khunou), 42/58 (Moreh) and 42/60 (Moreh) under Tengnoupal Assembly Constituency.

At polling station 42/50 (Moreh-Netaji Memorial School), which also falls under the jurisdiction of Tengnoupal Assembly Constituency, five women committed the act of vandalizing the EVMs.

In Churachandpur district, polling was disrupted at polling station 58/23 when Trinamool Congress candidate tried to snatch camera from the polling personnel.

Similar incidents of snatching cameras and EVMs have also been reported at Mouhan Centre under Tadubi Assembly Constituency.

At polling stations 54/35-Joujangtek, 52/41-Azuram and 53/24-Naga Ching, polling was disrupted.

In Saitu Assembly Constituency, the EVMs were allegedly taken away from polling station 51/51-Yanglon by NPF candidate and his workers.

In polling stations 49/17, 49/18 and 49/19 of Tadubi Assembly Constituency, unidentified miscreants vandalized the EVMs.

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