Haryana registered a record 73.7 per cent polling in the high-stakes Assembly election, marred by violence and allegations of booth-capturing at several places.
A clash broke out between Jat and Dalit voters in Miana village of Hissar constituency in which 30 people, including policemen were injured, and seven motorcycles burnt. Workers of the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) and the Haryana Janhit Congress (HJC) clashed over charges of bogus voting.
In Punhana in Mewat, a boy died when two groups clashed, and in Sirsa, former Minister and president of the Haryana Lokhit Party, Gopal Kanda, was injured and his car vandalised.
A relative of INLD leader Ajay Chautala (presently in jail) was hurt in the clash.
Clashes also took place between supporters of Dushyant Chautala of the INLD and the BJP’s Birender Singh at Uchana Kalan where Mr. Singh’s wife Prem Lata is pitted against Mr. Chautala. Police had to resort to lathi-charge at Sandil village in the constituency. Fights also broke out at Narnaund from where Capt. Abhimanyu of the BJP is contesting.
In Hissar town, head of the Zee Media Network Subhash Chandra faced the ire of the Congress and INLD workers when he allegedly forced his way into a polling booth. The town also saw a high concentration of reporters, as two rival news channels, namely Focus Television owned by the Jindal group and Zee Television vied with each other.
Savitri Jindal is the Congress candidate from Hissar.
