M A I N   N E W S

3 dead, 42 hurt in J&K, Bihar poll violence

New Delhi, May 5
A terrorist was among three people killed in Jammu and Kashmir and Bihar in poll violence that injured 42 others in the penultimate phase of the Lok Sabha elections today.

Rajasthan also reported violence, which wounded two persons and led to a 90-minute suspension of polling at a booth in the Bharatpur Lok Sabha constituency. One person received bullet injuries on his leg while another was injured in the clash at Sinsini, the native village of BJP candidate Vishwendra Singh.

In Anantnag, a Hizbul Mujahideen commander was killed and 27 wounded, while an unconfirmed report said another person was killed in a blast at Sirhama in Anantnag district in the afternoon.

A Bihar report said one person was shot dead at Chandwara village in Munger constituency. Also, polling was marred by violence at Amarath and Indpey villages, where at least six persons were injured. The condition of the two injured was serious and one of them had been referred to Patna Medical College and Hospital with bullet injuries, official sources said.

About the Anantnag violence, officials told UNI that militants fired a rifle grenade towards a polling booth set up in Government Women’s College near here. It missed the target and exploded in the compound of a nearby house, killing a person, Ghulam Hassan Lone, on the spot and injuring another.

A BSF spokesman said troops of 138 battalion killed an HM commander, Zahoor Ahmad Mir, during a fierce encounter at Haripari Gam village in the Tral assembly segment of the constituency last night.

The encounter ensued after a search party was attacked by the militants preparing to disrupt the polling.

The ultra, active for the past 13 years, was wanted in a number of militancy-related incidents in the area. An AK rifle was among arms and ammunition recovered from the slain militant.

In Bijbehara, the home town of Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, militants hurled a hand grenade towards a polling station, causing injuries to four security personnel and 16 civilians.

A police constable was injured in a similar grenade attack on a polling station at Tral in Pulwama district of the constituency.

Five persons, including two poll officials were injured in a grenade attack on a polling booth at Sarnal last night.

Reports of grenade attacks and IED blasts were also received from about 12 other places in Anantnag constituency.

An official report from Bihar said RJD supporters allegedly attacked polling booths number 19, 20 and 21 in Nayagaon and opened indiscriminate firing and hurled bombs in which three persons sustained serious injuries.

Three more were injured in a clash between two political groups at a polling booth in Karghar Primary School in Munger.

Sources said Rajesh Kumar Yadav was arrested along with a pistol and cartridges when he was trying to terrorise voters near a polling booth in Phulka village while another person was arrested along with a loaded rifle outside a polling booth near Jamamasjid in Munger district.

In Lakhisarai district, two Janata Dal leaders — Dahsrath Mahto and party youth wing district unit chief Randhir Singh — were injured in an attack by a rival political party.

Mr Mahto was injured near polling booths number 47-48 at Bhavanpur while Mr Singh was injured at polling booth number 6 near Nandkumar High School of the town.

A report from the Purnia Lok Sabha constituency said anti-social elements fled with an electronic voting machine from a polling booth in Chivachpur Primary School in Banmankhi Assembly segment of the constituency.

One person was injured in exchange of firing between two political groups at polling booth number 51-52 in Jankinagar locality of the same segment.

Reports of booth grabbing and shootout also poured in from booth number 36 in Rupauli Assembly segment while 36 anti-social elements were arrested while roaming in the same area to disrupt the polls.