Uchana Kalan (Jind): Violence marred polling at the Uchana Kalan assembly seat where there is a straight contest between Hisar MP Dushyant Chautala of the INLD and Congressman-turned-BJP leader Birender Singh’s wife Prem Lata. At most of the polling booths Congress agents were found missing even as the segment witnessed 75.9% voter turnout.
At Chudhpur village, a clash took place between INLD and BJP workers in which a polling official got injured.
The incident took place at about 10:50 am. There was an objection raised by the BJP agent over a voter who was inside the room for casting his vote. When poll officials checked, they dismissed the objection. Suddenly, 3-4 youths reported to be workers of the INLD entered the room and thrashed the presiding officer, Subhash Chander.
Talking to HT, Chander said, “They scattered the polling material. A police official intervened and we managed to close the room. Extra force was demanded. We did not allow any proxy vote to be cast.” He got injured in his leg but continued to perform his duty. Deputy commisioner Ashok Kumar Meena also visited the polling booth. For 35 minutes, voting remained disrupted. Outside the booth, a number of INLD workers kept sitting to keep a tab.
In another group clash between BJP and INLD workers at the school gate of Sandil village at around 2pm, four BJP workers suffered serious head injuries as a result of attack with sticks and bricks. Sanjay, Ram Daya, Balinder and Rameshwar were admitted to the civil hospital at Narwana and a case registered as BJP workers alleged that INLD workers were trying to capture the polling booth.
Jind SSP Anil Kumar Dhawan said that Sandil incident was being investigated and added that prompt action was taken to defuse tension here.
In another group clash between BJP and INLD workers at the school gate of Sandil village at around 2pm, four BJP workers suffered serious head injuries as a result of attack with sticks and bricks. Sanjay, Ram Daya, Balinder and Rameshwar were admitted to the civil hospital at Narwana and a case registered as BJP workers alleged that INLD workers were trying to capture the polling booth.
Jind SSP Anil Kumar Dhawan said that Sandil incident was being investigated and added that prompt action was taken to defuse tension here.
Group clashes were also reported from Kharakbhura village around 7.30 am at the polling booth’s gate between INLD and BJP workers after which more police force was sent to the polling station.
At Uchana Kalan Mandi, an electronic voting machine (EVM) malfunctioned due to which voting got disrupted. The area is claimed to be a stronghold of the BJP. Voters created hue and cry over delay in replacement of the EVM, and the voters’ queue was much longer here. “I have been waiting for my turn for three hours. The process is quite slow here,” said Mahavir Singh, a voter. Jitender had carried his grandmother Sona Devi in his arms to the Uchana Kalan village booth. When asked what her age was, he replied, “I am 45, so you can say that she must be in her 90s. “Even a single vote can make a CM,” he said.
Clash in Narwana
In a group clash of BJP and INLD workers at Sinsar village of Narwana assembly segment, four BJP workers got serious head injuries inflicted with sharp-edged weapons. Dr Himanshu at the Narwana civil hospital informed that injured Vedpal, Sanjay, Subey Singh and Sachet Singh were referred to the Post-Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences at Rohtak. The SSP said the police were yet to get intimation from the hospital about the incident.