Punjab: Polling in Ludhiana, Moga largely peaceful barring few incidents of skirmish

In Moga, the police impounded the vehicle of actor Sonu Sood and instructed him to stay inside the home after the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) complained that the actor was roaming across the booth in Moga constituency and trying to influence the voters. “We instructed Sonu Sood to stay inside his home after receiving a complaint from SAD. A flying squad team was also deputed outside his house for videography,” said Satwant Singh, returning officer.

Actor’s sister Malvika Sood is Congress candidatee from Moga. Minutes after the incident, Sood took to Twitter and alleged that other parties were ‘buying votes’ in Moga. He tweeted: ‘Other candidates in #Moga constituency are buying votes. @EVISWEEP should take immediate action.”

In Ludhiana– incidents of alleged distribution of freebies and skirmish were reported in Atam Nagar, Gill, Ludhiana East and Ludhiana Central constituencies.

In Gill, the BJP candidate SR Ladhar submitted a video to the police in which one of his workers was allegedly being beaten by a local Congress sarpanch and threatened for putting up a BJP booth at Nishat Bagh Colony. Police registered an FIR against Yuvraj Malhotra sarpanch and Ranjit Singh under the sections 323, 341, 506, 148 and 149 of IPC at Salem Tabri police station.

In Ludhiana east, Congress MP Ravneet Singh Bittu alleged that Congress workers were allegedly thrashed and manhandled by SAD workers who also snatched their laptops and phones because they were working at a Congress booth. He alleged that police did not take any action and a complaint was submitted.

In Ludhiana central, BJP candidate Gurdev Sharma Debi alleged that Congress was indulging in bogus voting. A clash was reported between Congress and BJP workers outside a booth after BJP alleged that one of the voters who casted the vote was bogus. BJP workers were sitting on protest outside Dharampura police post till filing of this report alleging Congress workers thrashed them. ASI Rajwant Singh, incharge, Dharampura police post, said that statements were being recorded.

Hours before the polling on Saturday night, Lok Insaf Party (LIP) leader in Atam Nagar constituency, from where Simarjeet Singh Bains of LIP is the sitting MLA, alleged that Congress workers were distributing liquor, grocery items and cash to lure the voters in Basti Abdullahpur (ward number 47).
LIP also alleged that their workers were attacked with swords by Congress workers. Police registered an FIR against local Congress councillor’s husband Nirmal Singh Kaira and 50 others under several sections of IPC including attempt to murder at Model Town police station.

Meanwhile, a 75-year old voter Diwan Chand died at a polling booth in Khanna after suffering from a massive heart attack when he was in queue to vote.