CRPF jawan killed; ministers escape unhurt in attack

About 42% of 7.40 lakh electorate cast their votes for Inner Manipur seat where a CRPF jawan was killed and two ministers escaped unhurt in an attack.

About 42 per cent of 7.40 lakh electorate cast their votes on Monday in the second and last phase of polls in the Inner Manipur Lok Sabha seat where a CRPF jawan on poll duty was killed, four others were injured and two ministers escaped a militant attack, official sources said.

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Snatching of election materials, two electronic voting machines, disruption of polling and attack on polling stations by militants were also reported from various places, sources said.

Reports from districts said large-scale proxy votes were reportedly cast at many places in the absence of polling agents who failed to turn up in view of the 17-hour 'Manipur Bandh' called by insurgents.

Reports said voter turnout was low at many places although people living in the same localities as candidates turned up in large number to vote.

Meanwhile, two Manipur ministers escaped unhurt when militants attacked a polling station in Imphal East district on Monday afternoon, official sources said.

The militants opened fire at the polling station when Family Welfare Minister Bijoy Koijam and Agriculture Minister K Ranjit Singh were visiting the area to assess the voter turnout, the sources said.

As the security personnel accompanying the ministers returned the fire, an encounter ensued which lasted about 15 minutes during which the two ministers were provided active security cover, sources said adding the militants later escaped in different directions.

Heavy security reinforcements rushed to the spot and launched a combing operation.