BHADRAK: A few untoward incidents marked the first phase of panchayat elections in the district on Saturday. Snatching of ballot boxes in six booths and booth capturing have been reported from two blocks.
Re-polling has been ordered in Olatpur booth-1 in Dhamnagar block following allegations that some unidentified persons barged into the booth and started tearing ballot papers.
In another incident, eight persons were injured when some unidentified persons hurled a bomb at a procession near Maninathpur polling station in Solampur panchayat under Dhamnagar.
All the injured have been admitted to Jajpur district headquarters hospital, said Bhadrak Sub- Collector Rama Chandra Palta.
Six ballot boxes were snatched away in Arjunpur and Jainagar polling stations in Dhamnagar block and two boxes from Nayapatana booth in Bhandaripokhari block.
JAJPUR: After the polling was over at booth-9 of Anaka panchayat under Barachana block, miscreants took away the ballot box and dumped it in a nearby pond. Though the ballot box was recovered later, no one has been arrested so far. “The first phase passed off peacefully,” said Deepak Kumar, Jajpur SP.
32 Ballot Boxes Snatched in Puri
Large-scale rigging and snatching of ballot boxes were reported from various areas in three blocks of Puri district on Saturday. The polling was held in Brahmagiri, Krushnaprasad and Kanas blocks in the first phase.
District Magistrate Arabind Agarwal said 32 ballot boxes were forcibly taken away by some miscreants. While 24 ballot boxes were looted in Brahmagiri, one was taken away in Krushnaprasad. Seven booths were captured and boxes looted in Kanas block.
The police have started raids at various places and managed to recover four boxes from a water body, he added. With as many as 505 booths identified as sensitive, police arrangements were made to tackle any untoward incident.