70 pc polling amid stray violence
Barring stray violence in some parts, polling in Nagaland was smooth with about 60 to 70 per cent voters turning out to vote.
Activists of rival parties clashed at Changtongia town of Nagaland's Mokokchung district, home to chief Minister S C Jamir, leaving one person dead. Suspected militants also fired in the air to scare away voters in the same town.
An NSCN-IM activist was shot dead and two others were arrested by security forces and police in Agri colony area of Kohima town during a search operation in the morning, police soures said.
Unidentified persons damaged EVMs at a number of polling stations in Mokokchung, Wokha and Tuensang districts of the state. Repolling is likely in at least five polling stations.
Polling in rest of Nagaland was smooth and peaceful with an estimated turnout of 70 per cent of the over one million electorate.
Though there are seven national and three regional political parties in fray, the main battle for the 60-member Assembly is confined between ruling Congress and newly formed Democratic Alliance of Nagaland (DAN) with Nagaland People's Front (NPF) and BJP being two of its major constituents.
Ten polling station in Twensang district registered cent per cent turnout while urban areas reported an average of 50 per cent.
An NSCN-IM activist was shot dead and two others were arrested by security forces in agri colony area during a search operation at possible hideouts of militants in Kohima town in the morning, police soures said.
Technical problem in EVMs, being used for the first time in the state, also delayed start of election by an hour in certain polling stations, sources in different district administrations told PTI over phone.
Chief Minister SC Jamir cast his vote in his native place Mokokchung in the morning.
In sensitive Dimapur an Zunheboto districts, polling began peacefully with good turn out of voters.
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