Violence mars Agra civic polls

Vijay Upadhyay
Agra. The municipal polls in Agra came close to taking a violent turn on Tuesday when two groups of SP and BSP supporters clashed in the Sevla area of the city on the issue of fake voting.

Following a clash that lasted almost an hour with both parties engaged in stone pelting and burning vehicles, the elections in Ward Number 4 of the city were recommended to be cancelled by the local administration.

Minor incidents of poll-violence had been reported from other parts of the city.

The entire city's police force was rushed to Sevla, led by the District Magistrate and the Senior Superintendent of Police, who, for once, were forced to turn to their heels in face of the heavy stone pelting by the mob. The situation could only be brought under control after more police force and PAC was called in.

A police vehicle was badly damaged by the violent mob after which the police resorted to lathi charge and arrested one candidate while another was admitted into a hospital for treatment after receiving injuries in the stone pelting.

Sources claimed that the dispute arose due to the administrative negligence in making the polling station of both Ward 4 and Ward 10 at the same place where the confusion arose over voters entering the wrong booths.

Before the meagre police force present on the site could react, violence erupted in the area.

There were reports of minor violence in other parts of the city while the opposition parties charged the police of collaborating with the ruling party in harassing the voters while promoting fraudulent voting at many polling stations.

The voting percentage dropped close to 50 per cent as major routes of the city were blocked by the police, forcing voters to take longer routes to the polling stations.

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