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| First poll violence | | Clash in Puran, Iqbal groups, several injured | | EARLY TIMES REPORT
RAJOURI, Nov 5: First ever case of election related violence broke in Rajouri today following clash between supporters of and independent candidate and a Congress nominee for Darhal constituency of the district.
Police had to fire gun shots in the air and resort to cane charge to quell the unruly mob which had taken on each other with stones and batons in the town after filing nomination papers for Darhal constituency. Two persons have been arrested by the Police in this connection.
Trouble broke out when supporters of independent contestant Mohammad Iqbal Malik nearly barged into an enclosure where Congress nominee for Darhal constituency Thakur Puran Singh had arranged a meeting of his workers. Thakur’s supporters took on Malik’s party leading to a severe clash involving hundreds of warring activists from both sides.
In a matter of few minutes the situation took an ugly turn as supporters of both candidates resorted to stone pelting leading into injuries to several of them. Seven persons are reported to have sustained critical injuries. After a nearly bloody battle Police rushed in and fired shots in the air to quell the protesters.
Iqbal Malik was expecting Congress ticket for Darhal constituency which eventually went to Puran Singh.
As a part of trend in the region, Darhal constituency has a caste sensitive politics and during elections, aspirants make their calculations on consolidation or division of votes belonging to the Gujjars or Pahari people. In 2002, Puran Singh won election as three Gujjars were in the race which divided community vote and Puran Singh consolidated his vote on Pahari plank drawing support from both Hindus and Muslims.
Puran Singh and Iqbal Malik are both Paharis. Both being in the fray may lead to division in the community vote bank perception therefore none of them wanted the other contesting elections. |
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