Barring a few stray incidents, polling for the Lok Sabha election was peaceful in the State, Additional Director-General of Police (Law and Order) M.N. Reddi said on Thursday.
More than 8,000 polling booths out of 54,294 were classified hyper-sensitive. No untoward incident was reported from the northern range, which had around 10,600 polling booths, the highest for any range in the State.
Though there were minor incidents in Ramanagaram, Bidadi and Mysore, they were resolved immediately. “Polling in hyper-sensitive areas, including those affected by Naxalism, went on peacefully,” Mr. Reddi said.
Tension prevailed in the afternoon in Mayaganahalli near Bidadi when a group of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) activists were allegedly assaulted by Congress supporters. AAP activists alleged that four of their colleagues were assaulted by a group of around 100 Congress workers.
“It happened when the AAP workers reportedly clicked photographs of money allegedly being distributed to woo voters. AAP workers sustained minor injuries in the incident,” a police officer said, adding that the AAP workers had demanded re-polling.
The AAP has lodged a complaint with the Election Commission and the local police.
AltercationA local Congress leader in Ramanagaram was arrested for assaulting a police constable. Anupam Agarwal, Superintendent of Police, said Nizam Pasha, a councillor, repeatedly visited the polling station situated on the Ramanagaram government hospital premises.
When police constable Kariappa, who was deputed at the polling booth, objected to this, a verbal altercation ensued. Nizam Pasha allegedly assaulted Kariappa following which he was arrested.
Soon after the news spread, a group of over 200 supporters of Pasha pelted stones at the polling booth. Police personnel dispersed the crowd by resorting to mild lathi charge.
Similarly, protests were held at Mysore and Kolar alleging police highhandedness.
