Violence reported in some pockets of Thoubal district
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, March 05 2022: The phase-II election to the 12th Manipur Legislative Assembly concluded in Thoubal district peacefully except for some isolated cases of violence in some polling stations of three different assembly constituencies in the district.

The first incident occurred around 9:30 am, when a scuffle broke out in polling station no.35/21 & 35/22 located at Khangabok Cherapur Khunou and Khangabok Part-III Khunou Leikai of Khangabok assembly constituency after some BJP supporters obstructed the visit of INC candidate MLA O Surjakumar.

However, ho disruption was caused to the polling process.

A heated exchange of words also took place between BJP and INC workers at polling station number 35/15 located at Khangabok Higher Secondary School after some electors raised complaint over delay in getting green signals from the Control Unit to the EVM and VVPAT.

At about 11 am, some BJP supporters obstructed INC agents at polling station no.34/9 and 34/10 located at Wangjing Hodamba Primary School and veterinary compound of Wangjing Tentha assembly constituency.

At the same time, INC supporters also reportedly obstructed BJP and NPP agents from entering the polling station 1 to 7 located at Tentha Makha Leikai.

Later, around 12:40 pm, a scuffle took place between BJP and INC workers over the issue of proxy voting at polling station no 32/1 Haokha Mamang Leikai-A under Wangkhem assembly constituency.

In the incident, one Asem Sunil (34) son of A Munal of Haokha Mamang Leikai sustained injury and was evacuated to Thoubal District Hospital.

A scuffle also broke out at Charangpat High School between workers of two candidates and Mami TV's video journalist Lai Kanta was manhandled by a mob despite identifying himself as a journalist on duty.

Former CM Okram Ibobi and Khangabok MLA O Surjakumar cast their votes in their respective polling sta tions shortly after the election commenced.

However, the latter had to wait for about 20 minutes following a technical fault in the EVM.

Some electors, who were standing in the queue at two polling stations located at Cherapur Upper Primary School pelted stones at MLA O Surjakumar when he visited there.

BJP workers reportedly barred inner agents of other candidates from entering polling station no 35/16 at Khangabok Sorok Wangma.

Earlier, JD-U agent was allowed to sit inside but forced to leave for raising complaint over the matter, according to JD-U agent Moirangthem Megha.

BJP candidate Menjor Mangang and his workers reportedly vandalised JD-U candidate Th Jadumani's vehicle at Khangabok Sorok Wangma Primary School and Sanilou Loukol areas.

According to Jadumani, he went there around 4.20 pm upon getting information of BJP workers trying to capture the booth.

He found BJP supporters shouting slogans in support of Menjor and BJP.

He informed the SP Thoubal about the matter and requested the gathering to let the election process continue peacefully.

However, BJP candidate Menjor Mangang and former Khangabok ZP member Kh Rajen along with BJP supporters vandalised his ' vehicle as well as the escort vehicle, he said while condemning the incident.

NPP candidate for Wangjing-Tentha assembly constituency Usham Manglem said that no agents as well as supporters of other political parties except that of BJP candidate were allowed inside the polling station no.9 to 17 when he went there.

Even he was barred from entering there.

On getting the report, NPP supporters also tried to chase away agents of other parties in the candidate's home polling station, following which the polling process was halted for some time.

In the meantime, BJP candidate Paonam Brojen reached there and the local people surrounded and shouted at him.

Later, the election process resumed with deployment of additional security force.

Usham Manglem has charged BJP candidate Paonam Brojen of deliberately derailing the peaceful conduct of the election.

In Tentha area too, conduct of election was not free and fair in polling station no.1 to 4, he said, while alleging MLA Brojen of instigating his supporters and said that he will be filing a complaint seeking re-poll in polling station no 9 to 17.On the other hand, BJP candidate MLA Brojen said that BJP agents were not allowed in two polling stations of Kairembikhok area.

He hoped that the election would be peaceful, free and fair but Congress supporters have been carrying out violent acts against his supporters including burning houses and assaulting youth in the past couple of days.

He lodged a complaint to ECI to look into the matter while seeking additional security cover.

He also alleged that Congress supporters barred BJP and NPP agents from entering polling station no 1 to 7 in Tentha area while adding that he had lodged a complaint seeking re poll in these polling stations.

INC candidate Moirangthem Hemanta accused BJP candidate Paonam Brojen of violating the rights of electors in areas under polling station no 9 to 17 by barring entry of INC agents inside the polling stations and preventing INC supporters from casting their votes.

BJP workers threatened INC agents of these polling stations and vandalised their houses on Friday night, he said while informing that he had sought re-poll in these polling stations.

He also refuted the allegations of INC workers barring entry of BJP agents in polling stations located in Tentha area, and said that the election was conducted peacefully in those areas under tight security measures.

The BJP agents were absent in those polling stations because they did not turn up, he said.

He also alleged BJP of misusing power to secure votes.

Earlier, local residents of Wabagai Tera Urak came to the office premises of DC Thoubal and raised complaint against NPP supporters preventing NPP agents and supporters from entering the polling station no.36/21 located at Wabagai Tera Urak High School, which is the home polling station of NPP candidate for Wabagai assembly constituency Mayengbam Ranjit.

Meanwhile, after casting his vote, INC candidate for Heirok assembly constituency former education minister Moirangthem Okendro expressed happiness on seeing peaceful conduct of the election in the constituency, which had become infamous for violence in the run up to the 12th Manipur Legislative Assembly election.

He also said that INC will return to power both in Heirok and Manipur.

BJP candidate former education minister Thokchom Radheshyam said that he will win the election with a margin of around 5000 votes as compared to the margin of around 1600 votes in the last 2017 elections.

Comment