Assam Panchayat poll: 11 killed in police firing

At least eleven people were killed and several others injured in police firing  in trouble-torn Goalpara district of Assam  after violence erupted during Panchayat poll on Tuesday.

Following after the violence, indefinite curfew was imposed in Krishnai police station areas. Arson was also reported from Kamrup (Rural) district during the final phase of the Panchayat poll.

A mob of 400 men and women armed with iron rods, axes, machetes and sticks attacked a polling station at Ambari Kathalmari school, the police said.

As the mob turned violent attacking poll personnel and voters, police used batons and then opened fire killing two men and a woman on the spot, the police said.

In the continuing violence in Goalpara where the Panchayat poll was being opposed in the Rabha Hasong Autonomous District Council (RHADC) areas, a police officer was seriously injured by protestors.

Krishnai police station officer-in-charge Hatem Ali was injured by the protestors at Bekibul. The protestors also attacked polling personnel, they said.

At Rakkhaysin polling station, some persons tried to throw petrol bombs but the voters there severely beat them up.

In neighbouring Kamrup (Rural) district, groups of armed men and women in the RHADC areas attacked police stations and polling personnel, the police said. Some persons also attacked polling personnel and Boko Dekapara police station besides setting ablaze their vehicles driving away the polling personnel, the police said.

Lalmati lower primary school, where a voting centre was set up, was torched gutting eight ballot boxes, the police said.

Anti-socials also destroyed several ballot papers there. The ballot papers at Dorapar polling centre at Agia were also set on fire, the police said.

Disturbances were also reported at Khulakhati area of Hajo, Sambhar and Tokorapar lower primary schools voting centres in the RHADC areas following faulty ballot papers, the police said.

Additional security forces had been deployed in the RHADC areas falling in the twin districts to maintain law and order, the police said.

(With inputs from agencies)

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