Heavy voter turnout in Manipur, militant kills 5

January 28, 2012 09:23 am | Updated November 17, 2021 05:05 am IST - Imphal/New Delhi

MANIPUR28-01-2012An elderly person is being brought back by her relatives after casting  vote in Imphal city capital of Manipur state on Saturday, January 28, 2012. In a first such move, the Election Commission has decided to photograph each voter in Manipur to avoid rigging in the assembly elections.People come out in large number to cast their vote in Manipur since morning. Altogether 17,41,581 voters would exercise their adult franchise to decide the fate of 279 candidates contesting in the 60 Assembly Constituencies of ManipurPHOTO: RITU_RAJ_KONWAR. - caption

MANIPUR28-01-2012An elderly person is being brought back by her relatives after casting vote in Imphal city capital of Manipur state on Saturday, January 28, 2012. In a first such move, the Election Commission has decided to photograph each voter in Manipur to avoid rigging in the assembly elections.People come out in large number to cast their vote in Manipur since morning. Altogether 17,41,581 voters would exercise their adult franchise to decide the fate of 279 candidates contesting in the 60 Assembly Constituencies of ManipurPHOTO: RITU_RAJ_KONWAR. - caption

An estimated 82 per cent of the electorate voted on Saturday in the Manipur Assembly elections, which were marred by militant violence that claimed six lives, including that of a militant.

Chief Electoral Officer P.C. Lawmkunga said that according to preliminary official reports, 82 per cent of the 17.50-lakh voters exercised their franchise.

Details from the nine districts of the State were awaited.

Deputy Election Commissioner Alok Shukla said in New Delhi that a person, posing as a voter, entered a booth in an interior area in the Sugnu constituency in Chandel district around 12.30 p.m. and started firing indiscriminately, killing a CRPF jawan, three polling staff and a voter.

The injured voter, who was taken to Imphal in a helicopter, died of injuries.

The assailant, who was yet to be identified, was gunned down by CRPF personnel posted at the booth.

Bombs suspected to have been planted by militants were seized and defused before polling started at Khurai Chingangbam, Sawombung High School, Khomidok in Imphal East district and Naoremthong High School in Imphal West district, official sources said.

There were also reports from six other places, where mobs damaged Electronic Voting Machines.

In another incident, miscreants snatched an EVM, Mr. Shukla said.

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