MAYILADUTHURAI: A head constable on election security duty was stabbed by a retired serviceman inside a polling booth in the Poompuhar Assembly constituency in Mayiladuthurai district on Thursday, triggering panic among voters.
The accused was identified as Prabhakaran of Kattucherry, a retired army personnel. He stabbed Vignesh, head constable at Kuthalam police station.
The police said that Vignesh was on security duty at the booth when a man suddenly attacked him with a screw driver he had brought along. Vignesh sustained injuries on his neck and both hands in the attack.
He was rushed to the Porayar Government Hospital, where he received stitches and first-aid treatment. Police said his condition was stable.
The Porayar police arrested Prabhakaran and launched an investigation into the incident.
Preliminary inquiry revealed that the accused allegedly harboured hostility towards police personnel and that he had been involved in a similar incident before.
The incident occurred at Booth No 324 at Jamaliya Aided Elementary School in Porayar, where polling for the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections has been ongoing since 7 am.
Officials said polling in the constituency remained brisk, with 36.65% voter turnout recorded till 11 am when the incident happened.