Even as polling for the last phase of Lok Sabha elections was under way in Punjab’s Tarn Taran district on Sunday, a man was brutally murdered, in full public glare, allegedly by his neighbours following a heated exchange over some issue.
The incident occurred at Sarli Kalan village under the Khadoor Sahib Parliamentary constituency when the victim, Bunty Singh (30) was returning home after exercising his franchise, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Kuldip Singh Chahal said.
He, however, clarified that the incident was not related to the polling.
“This murder is not related to the ongoing polls and is not an incident of poll violence,” he told the reporters in Tarn Taran.
The murder was a result of “some sudden provocation” and the accused, who were the victim’s neighbours and whose exact number is being verified, were under the influence of alcohol, Mr. Chahal added.
They allegedly attacked Singh on his neck with a sharp-edged weapon, killing him on the spot, he said. A manhunt has been launched to nab the accused, the SSP said.
Woman dies in Madhya Pradesh
A woman on Sunday died of cardiac arrest while standing in a queue at a polling booth in Chandora village, part of the Ratlam-Jhabua Lok Sabha seat, a poll officer said.
“A woman voter identified as Genda Bai (58) died after suffering a heart attack when she was waiting in the queue at Chandora village booth under Ratlam-Jhabua Lok Sabha constituency,” said VL Kantha Rao, Chief Electoral Officer of Madhya Pradesh.
Earlier, two government employees engaged in the election duty also died in separate incidents in Madhya Pradesh.
“Garu Singh Chogad, who was deployed at the Jalwat polling booth in Dhar Lok Sabha constituency, died after suffering a heart failure on Sunday morning,” Rao said.
In another incident, a presiding officer, Anil Nema, in Dewas Lok Sabha seat died of cardiac arrest on Saturday night, he said.
Polling was under way in Dewas, Ujjain, Mandsaur, Ratlam, Dhar, Indore, Khargone and Khandwa, with voter turnout recorded at 59.38% till 4 p.m.
