81.2% polling in Haryana amid clashes in 3 districts

Tribune News Service

Nuh, November 2

A turnout of 81.2 per cent was recorded in the first of the three-phase polling for the election of panches and sarpanches in nine districts of Haryana on Wednesday.

Clashes were reported in Nuh, Jhajjar and Kaithal districts. In Nuh, many, including policemen, were injured. While social media was abuzz with reports of firing and even casualties, the authorities refuted the reports. Re-polling was ordered at Manota village where unidentified men barged into two polling centres and fled with EVMs.

Panchayat elections

• Clashes reported from Nuh, Jhajjar and Kaithal districts
• Officials claim polling process largely remained unaffected

“There were clashes in some villages, but the situation was brought under control. We dealt with most of the sensitive booths in the state. Polling remained largely unaffected,” said Deputy Commissioner Ajay Kumar.

Clashes were reported from over a dozen villages. Warring groups clashed with sticks, pelted each other with stones and even opened fire in the air. Sources claimed more than 100 persons were injured, although no official figure was available.

Pinnagwan block was hit the most. At Chandraka village, two groups hurled stones at each other, injuring over a dozen, including a security man. “The situation remained volatile in over 90 per cent of the booths, but law and order prevailed,” said Nuh SP Varun Singla.

At Kaithal’s Junlanikhera village, there were reports of a brawl and stone pelting between two groups, but voting was not affected. At Kharak Padwa village, supporters of a candidate alleged booth-capturing and blocked the Chandigarh-Hisar road.

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