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| 27 injured in clashes during polling in Poonch, Rajouri | | | EARLY TIMES REPORT
JAMMU, APR 16 : At least 27 people were injured, six of them seriously, in clashes between the supporters of rival political parties during polling in twin border districts of Poonch and Rajouri today, official sources said.
Election was in progress for the Jammu Lok Sabha seat covering 20 Assembly segments spread over four border districts of Samba, Jammu, Rajouri and Poonch.
Voting was suspended at 44-A-Salwah polling station in Mendhar area of Poonch after the EVM was damaged in clashes between Congress and People’s Democratic Party (PDP) supporters, official sources said.
"An EVM at 44-Salwah polling booth, under the jurisdiction of Mendhar police station, was damaged following clashes between two groups of people," asserting that over a dozen people have sustained injuries in the clash.
When contacted, Mendhar police said senior police officials had also rushed to the Salwah polling station where intermittent clashes were reported.
As many as 12 people were injured, including four seriously, during clashes, sources said, adding the polling at 44-Salwah station was restored at about 0130 hours.
In similar clashes between two parties, six people were injured each at 35-Chak Bonala and 37-Salwah Nar polling stations in Mendhar tehsil, sources said.
At least three people were injured in a clash between National Conference (NC) and PDP supporters at 80-Darhal polling station in Rajouri district, official sources said.
"The incident occurred after verbal dual between NC and PDP workers over voting of person,’’ a senior police officer said, adding the injured were shifted to hospital for treatment and polling at the booth was restored.
Security forces resorted to firing after hearing gunshot near Marhoti polling station while voting was in progress in Poonch district.
"Security forces opened fire after hearing gunshot in the nearby forest at the polling station Marhoti in Poonch district," District Development Commissioner Mohammad Afzal Bhat said.
Later it was found that some unidentified hunters had fired in the vicinity which had spread panic among voters in the polling station, he said.
The polling continued without any interruption after the firing by the security forces for the safety of election staff and voters, Mr Bhat said.
Unconfirmed reports, however, said it were militants, who had targetted the polling station but the prompt retaliation from security forces averted their attack.
Meanwhile, no untoward incident was reported from polling stations in Samba and Jammu districts, sources said. |
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