500 masked men attack polling team en route for re-poll in Arunachal Pradesh

The security personnel from CRPF and India Reserve Battalion who were outnumbered didn’t fire in retaliation. The polling team returned to the district headquarters.

Updated on: May 22, 2019, 12:17:45 IST

Hindustan Times, Guwahati | By Utpal Parashar

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A polling team on way to conduct re-poll in Arunachal Pradesh was allegedly attacked by around 500 masked men in Kurung Kumey district on Sunday evening.

The security personnel from CRPF and India Reserve Battalion who were outnumbered didn’t fire in retaliation. The polling team returned to the district headquarters. (Arijit Sen/HT Photo)

According to a report in The Arunachal Times, the polling team was on its way to Nampe where a re-poll was to take place on Tuesday, when they were attacked by people armed with sticks, machetes and rifles and the EVMs and other poll equipment were snatched.

The Election Commission had ordered re-poll for two polling stations, one in Nampe under Koloriang assembly seat in Kurung Kumey district and the other in Gimba under Tali assembly seat in Kra Daadi district, (for both Lok Sabha and assembly election) on Tuesday.

Polling for two Lok Sabha seats and 60 assembly seats in the state had taken place on April 11.

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According to reports, the attackers belonging allegedly to National People’s Party also fired several rounds of bullets, including from AK-47 rifles. The security personnel from CRPF and India Reserve Battalion who were outnumbered didn’t fire in retaliation.

The polling team returned to the district headquarters.

Another polling team with fresh EVMs and other equipment and more security personnel was sent to the polling station again on Monday to conduct re-poll on Tuesday.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Utpal Parashar
A seasoned senior journalist, I have nearly three decades of experience across print, digital, and online platforms, covering political transitions, insurgencies, environmental issues, and development stories in India and Nepal. I am skilled in breaking news, leading editorial teams and launch of newspaper editions. I am adept at leveraging digital trends and social media to expand global reach, with a strong ethical foundation and a reputation for impactful journalism. An alumnus of Asian College of Journalism, I joined Hindustan Times in New Delhi as a trainee reporter in May 1997. Over the years, I have been posted in Dehradun, Kathmandu (Nepal) and Guwahati. Currently, as Senior Assistant Editor at Hindustan Times, I lead a team reporting on India’s northeastern states. My work involves in-depth analysis, and engaging multimedia storytelling across formats, including text, photo, video, and interactive content. I am skilled in producing timely, shareable content, leveraging digital platforms and social media to engage global audiences. Throughout my career with the Hindustan Times, I have led diverse editorial teams, designed capacity-building activities, and supported reporters in developing strong story ideas, ethical reporting practices, digital skills, and fact-checking techniques. As Senior Assistant Editor for Northeast India, I have been responsible for guiding correspondents through complex political, humanitarian, and community-level stories using multimedia formats. Earlier, as Foreign Correspondent in Nepal, I produced extensive reporting during Nepal’s democratic transition and the 2015 earthquake and its aftermath.Read More

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