Polls: Clashes erupt at few places

LUDHIANA: Clashes at a few places marred the elections for Zila Parishad and Panchayat Samiti on Wednesday.
In Sahnewal, one Congress and two SAD supporters were injured after they allegedly attacked each other.

At certain places, SAD supporters accused Congress leaders of booth capturing, while Congress and SAD supporters in other constituencies accused each other of thrashing.

At Budhewal polling station of Sahnewal constituency, Congress candidate Balvir Singh Budhewal had a tiff between with SAD supporter Tajinder Singh.

Tajinder Singh, who was polling agent of the SAD candidate, claimed, “While I was sitting at the polling booth, Budhewal came to the spot and asked me to leave. As we had an argument, Budhewal and his supporters later attacked me.”

He alleged that the Congress candidate wanted to capture the booth.

Tajinder and his brother Narinder Singh sustained injuries and rushed to the civil hospital.

Budhewal denied the allegations saying, “When I reached the polling booth, Tajinder and other SAD supporters created ruckus and attacked me.”

He alleged, “When my nephew Simran came to my rescue, the accused attacked him too, leaving him injured.”

SAD MLA from Sahnewal Sharanjit Dhillon, who also reached the spot, said, “Congress is indulging in ‘goondagardi’. They have killed democracy. A SAD polling agent has been attacked inside the polling station in front of police but cops did not take any action.”

He claimed, “The Congress has committed biggest fraud by changing wards of voters. Nearly 400 votes of Machhiya Kalan village has been shifted to Garhi Fazil village which is 8 kms away. Some voters reached there to cast their vote, however many did not know about the ward change and could not use the right to vote.”

In Gill constituency, Congress and SAD supporters had heated arguments. Congress supporter Bhinda accused SAD supporters of thrashing him while SAD supporter Paramjit Singh accused Bhinda of damaging his car near the railway station road in the constituency.

Inspector Kulwant Singh, SHO, Dehlon police station, said that no written complaint has been lodged with the police in this matter.

In Kakowal area, SAD candidate Simranjeet Kaur, her husband Manjinder Singh accused Congress candidate Gurpreet Kaur and her husband Jaswinder Waraich of booth capturing. Supporters of both parties indulged in an argument at the polling station. The matter was resolved with the intervention of police.