CHANDIGARH: Amid clashes at several places, Punjab recorded 61.5 per cent polling in the civic elections held today, with incidents of violence reported across the state involving supporters of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Congress, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and BJP.
Allegations of booth capturing and intimidation were also reported from multiple constituencies. The local body elections are being seen as crucial for all major political parties as they come ahead of the Assembly elections next year.
According to the State Election Commission, the final voter turnout percentage may change after data is compiled by returning officers.
In Raikot in Ludhiana district, Congress candidate from Ward No. 4 Jagdev Singh Jagga was injured in an attack involving sharp-edged weapons by a group of people. He was admitted to a private hospital in the industrial city, where his condition is stated to be stable.
The Congress alleged that supporters of AAP MLA Hakam Singh Thekedaar attacked Jagga during polling, calling the attack “life-threatening” and accusing ruling party supporters of attempting to intimidate opposition candidates during the elections.
Deputy Superintendent of Police of Raikot, Murad Jasvir Singh said that it was a “pre-poll incident” that happened “before voting started at 8 am.”
He added that the attack was linked to an earlier clash that occurred on Monday between AAP and Congress workers.
In Gidderbaha in Muktsar district, a clash erupted between supporters of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) during polling in Ward Nos. 18 and 19.
According to eyewitness accounts, the trouble began following an argument over administrative arrangements near polling booths.
The SAD later lodged a complaint with the Punjab State Election Commission against AAP MLA Hardeep Singh Dimpy Dhillon and others, accusing them of indulging in booth capturing, assault and intimidation during the municipal elections, and demanded that an FIR be registered against them.
In Barnala, the husband of BJP candidate from Ward No. 15, Deepinder Kaur, was assaulted following a heated argument over allegations of fake voting in favour of the ruling party’s candidate. His turban was removed and he sustained injuries.
He was taken to hospital and is stated to be in a critical condition with head injuries. Chaos also broke out at a polling station in Ward No. 33 over allegations of fake voting, where supporters of AAP candidate Rita Goyal and independent candidate Urmila Devi confronted each other, accusing rival camps of facilitating bogus votes.
In Samana in Patiala district, supporters of two rival political parties clashed and later pelted police personnel with stones during polling in Ward No. 19. Police resorted to cane charging to disperse the crowd and polling was temporarily stalled.
Three people sustained minor injuries in the incident. One person has been admitted to hospital after being electrocuted during the melee.
In Majitha in Amritsar, supporters of SAD and AAP clashed, prompting police intervention.
BJP workers, led by former Ajnala MLA Amarpal Singh Bony Ajnala, staged a protest at Ramdas near Amritsar alleging misuse of administrative and police machinery. He alleged that the AAP had set up booths near polling stations in restricted areas.
Bony also accused AAP MLA Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal of entering polling stations in violation of norms. “AAP MLA, his family and Chamchas are trying to intimidate voters,” he alleged.
In Khanna, tension prevailed outside a polling station in Ward No. 5 after former Cabinet Minister Gurkirat Singh Kotli alleged large-scale deletion of votes and movement of AAP volunteers inside polling stations across different wards of the city.
Kotli also staged a protest in Ward No. 15, alleging that AAP volunteers and outsiders were roaming inside polling stations and issuing voter slips. Heated arguments followed, prompting Congress workers and residents to raise slogans and demand action from poll authorities.
In Moga, tensions flared during polling at booths 104, 105 and 106 after opposition parties alleged instances of fraudulent and fake voting.
The situation escalated into a confrontation inside polling stations, with rival candidates accusing an AAP candidate of openly threatening and intimidating other contestants, bringing the voting process to a brief halt.
A heated confrontation also broke out between AAP workers and BJP supporters in Faridkot.
In Bathinda, former MLA and BJP district president Sarup Chand Singla and his son were attacked by an armed mob in Ward No. 2 as voting for the elections concluded.