Tension gripped Kolar town and parts of Chikballapur which witnessed group clashes at polling booths on Sunday. In Kolar town, supporters of Independent candidate Varthur R Prakash got into an altercation with supporters of Congress Candidate Nazeer Ahmed at the Government College.
Sources said Block Congress president and Councillor Prasad Babu, his brother Kumar and others chased the other group with weapons. Panic spread among the public and police arrested three persons, and seized the weapons. Prasad Babu, who was taken to the police station, escaped. Two special squads have been formed to arrest Babu.
Meanwhile, in Chikballapur, police resorted to lathi-charge when two groups exchanged blows in Kodihalli Village of Chinthamani taluk of the district. Sources said supporters of Independent candidate H C Sudhakar and those of JD(S) candidate J K Krishna Reddy clashed while canvassing. The two groups gathered in front of a polling booth. Police resorted to lathi-charge to disperse the mob.
There was also an attempt to set ablaze an voting machine at Konapalli of Chinthamani taluk. Three people tried to enter a booth with Kerosene to set the EVM machine ablaze, but were arrested. In Siddlaghatta, a JD(S) worker was severely injured by 3 Congress men.