Clashes erupt in Assam panchayat polls; ballot box thrown into pond: Police

SIlchar: Clashes erupted during the number one stage of panchayet polls in Assam on fri, leaving several injured and a ballot package being thrown into a pond in Cachar and Sribhumi districts. At least two people have been arrested so far, police said.“Three incidents of poll-related violence were reported during the Panchayat polls, and two persons have been arrested so far,” superintendent of police of Sribhumi Partha Pratim Das said.The polling at a centre in Sribhumi’s Choudhury Tilla area was cancelled after a ballot box was thrown into a pond, district commissioner Pradeep Kumar Dwivedi said “Two groups attacked each other. Some of them entered the polling station and vandalised the properties. They forcibly and took away the ballot box,” the officer said.A few of those who sustained injuries were taken to Sribhumi Civil Hospital for treatment.The polling team was called back and the election commission was informed, Dwivedi said, adding that a re-election will be held.“Incidents like throwing ballot boxes into ponds, throwing ink and water on the ballots were reported too. We acted immediately and arrested two individuals. Further investigation is going on,” Dwivedi said.Police said violence was also reported from the Katigorah area in Cachar district, where supporters of two political parties clashed leaving five people injured.Also read: Assam panchayat elections to be held in 2 phases on May 2 and 7; votes to be counted on May 11The clash broke out around 7am, just after the polling had started in the premises of Boalipar LP School in Katiigorah’s Tarinipur area, which is the 876th Polling Station of Cachar district. “The situation was brought under control. The polling process was temporarily halted,” officer in-charge of Katigorah police station Joseph Keivom said.Locals said supporters of the two candidates got into a heated verbal exchange that quickly escalated into physical violence. Those injured were taken to Silchar Medical College and Hospital (SMCH), and some were released after initial treatment. “As per our reports, two locals are severely injured and are currently undergoing treatment,” Keivom told HT.Also Read: Assam panchayat elections phase 1: Voting underway in 14 districts“We are investigating the matter but no one has lodged a complaint, we cannot register cases or arrest anyone,” he added.Meanwhile, a polling agent from polling station number 2 under Fulbari-Tarinipur Gaon Panchayat in Katigorah alleged that the situation had been tense for days before the polling and was reported to the authorities, but adequate security measures were not taken.“We informed the district administration officials that there was a chance for an attempt at booth capture, rigging, and possible violence, but I guess, no protective measures were taken,” a local resident said.Panchayat polls are taking place in 14 out of 35 districts in Assam in the first phase. These 14 districts are Tinsukia, Dibrugarh, Charaideo, Sivasagar, Majuli, Jorhat, Golaghat, Dhemaji, Lakhimpur, Sonitpur, Biswanath, Cachar, Hailakandi, and Sribhumi (formerly Karimganj).