RANCHI: A scuffle took place between Congress and BJP parties in Palamu after Congress candidate KN Tripathy was stopped from going inside Kosiara polling booth while voting was going on.
According to Tripathy, BJP supporters even resorted to stone-pelting as he tried to get inside the booth after informed by his supporters that the venue was being looted.
“After BJP supporters started pelting stones on me and my bodyguards, somehow I went out from there in my car and saved my life,” said Tripathy.
"Supporters of BJP candidate Alok Chaurasia did not want me to enter the booth as it was being looted by them", he added.
Eyewitnesses revealed that Tripathy and his bodyguards even took out their guns as a precautionary measure after being attacked but no firing took place.
As voting continues for the first phase, Maoists triggered a blast in the interiors of Banalat jungle in Gumla on the early hours of Saturday.
District administration, however, cleared that it will not affect voting in the region.
“A blast was triggered in Banalat jungles in Bishrampur area of Gumla where a culvert is said to have been damaged by the Maoists. No casualty or injury has been reported so far and we are still seeking details into the matter,” said Gumla Deputy Commissioner Shahi Ranjan.
The blast was triggered in the interiors of Banalat forests, which won't affect the voting, he added.
Notably, the Maoists had warned people to refrain from voting though sticking posters in the area ahead of Assembly elections in the state.