4 injured in group clash over ‘bogus voting’ at Swal village

In the poll-related violence reported from Doaba during the panchayat poll, four persons were injured as two factions clashed near a booth at Swal village in Kapurthala today over the alleged bogus voting.

Members of two groups allegedly attacked each other with sharp-edged weapons when one of the groups alleged that bogus votes were being cast by other group members.

Four persons, identified as Gurpreet Singh, Ranjit Singh, Yuvraj Singh and Shingara Singh, have been injured in the incident. They have been admitted to the Civil Hospital, Sultanpur Lodhi.

Gurpreet Singh, resident of Swal village in Kapurthala, a polling agent, alleged, “Bogus votes were being polled at booth number 116 of the village. When I opposed this, the other group called more men from outside. Earlier, we had heated exchange inside then they attacked me with a sword outside. At least 20-25 people attacked me and my associate Ranjit Singh. Attackers included both village residents and outsiders.”

Meanwhile, Yuvraj Singh from village, charged with attacking the duo, denied it.

In a video statement, Yuvraj Singh said, “At our booth, people of the other group attacked us. They were six there. We neither attacked anyone, nor called anyone from outside. They attacked us with datars, injuring two of us.”

Shingara Singh, an elderly villager, who was injured along with Yuvraj, said, “I had only gone to save a boy. I don’t know anything else about this. But they attacked me.”

SHO of the Sultanpur Lodhi police station, Hagurdev Singh said, “We have not received any complaint regarding any poll-related incident so far. The polls were conducted peacefully and no untoward incident took place.”