SHILLONG, FEB 24: Elections to the Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council (JHADC) on Monday morning was marred with violence as a mob barged and destroyed an Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) at the Umladang polling station under the 3-Nartiang constituency in West Jaintia Hills district forcing the authority to stop the voting.
The police are suspecting the hands of an NCP polling agent who might have triggered the vandalism. Ironically, his house was set on fire by angry Umladang villagers.
DIG Eastern Range A Sunn informed investigation revealed that the incident took place after a polling agent of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) left the polling booth at 9.30 am saying he has to leave because of unavoidable circumstances.
An hour later, Sunn, told a news conference on Monday evening around 10.30 am, NCP candidate Moina K Phyllut came into the polling booth charging that his polling agent was intimidated. According to a late night report Moina K Phyllut was arrested for instigating the mob who vandalised the polling station.
Few minutes later after Pyllut left a group of 30-40 men barged inside the polling booth and started smashing the controlling unit and balloting unit, EVM and even opened the steel Almira, took everything outside and damaged the items.
The second polling officer K Dhar was also assaulted by the men. He received a back injury said Sunn.
An FIR was lodged by the K Dhar at Nartiang police outpost on the incident and another FIR was filed by the presiding officer with the SP of West Jaintia hills district.\
As a result of this incident polling in the Umladang polling station had to be stopped. It is learnt re-polling will be held on Wednesday.
Sunn also said that irked by the attack on the polling station that led to the authority to stop the voting , angry villagers set ablaze the house of the NCP polling agent. He informed that police and magistrates have rushed to the place and detail report is awaited.
Sunn said that the hands of the NCP polling agent, who is also from Umladang village, is highly suspected as he might have instigated the mob to vandalise the polling station.
Sunn informed that cases under different sections of the IPC relating to criminal conspiracy, trespasses, assault, theft and disruption of polls have been registered. – By Our Reporter
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