Stray violence, polling ends peacefully

Chandigarh/Bathinda/Muktsar, February 20

Barring minor skirmishes in different parts of the state, polling was largely peaceful today. AAP candidate from Bhadaur, Labh Singh Ugoke, was allegedly attacked by a group of 20 persons. A clash was also reported between AAP and Congress workers in Handiaya village in Barnala village.

A former SAD councillor from Bathinda, Harjinder Tony, alleged his car was attacked by Congress workers who were allegedly stopped from distributing money to workers. The police have registered an FIR.

The police booked SAD candidate Hardeep Singh Dimpy Dhillon’s brother Sunny in a case of attempt to murder in Gidderbaha. In another incident, personal assistants and security guards of Congress candidate Raja Warring were booked for thrashing a cameraman of the EC’s video surveillance team.

Also, gunshots were exchanged between SAD and Congress workers at Verka in the Amritsar East constituency. A Congress worker suffered a bullet injury in the leg. A case has been registered. Further, a Congress worker suffered sword injuries during a fight with SAD workers in Patiala.

In other incident, a scuffle was reported between Congress and BJP workers at the polling booth set up in the Punjab Mandi Board office in grain market. After BJP and Punjab Lok Congress Party’s joint candidate Raj Nambardar accused Congress councillor Sham Lal Jain of abusing and distributing money to voters, agitated Congress workers gheraoed Nambardar and raised slogans. A police team reached the scene and retrieved Nambardar and his supporters from there.

Except for a clash, polling remained peaceful in Fatehgarh Sahib, Amloh and Bassi Pathana constituencies. At booth Nos. 62 and 63 in Fatehgarh Sahib, AAP and BJP workers allegedly thrashed a Congress supporter for casting a “bogus” vote, a charge denied by Congress councillor Gurpreet Singh Lalli. As the video went viral, supporters of both parties rushed to the scene.