Three injured in firing by Assam Assembly Deputy Speaker's bodyguards following clashes between BJP, AIUDF supporters

SILCHAR: At least three persons were injured in firing by the bodyguards of Assam Assembly Deputy Speaker Aminul Haque Laskar on Thursday after clashes broke out between supporters of BJP and AIUDF.

Cachar district Deputy Commissioner Keerthi Jalli confirmed "an incident" and said the administration is waiting for a detailed report from the polling station at 463 Madhya Dhanehori LP School of Sonai constituency.

"They are all non-critical," she said when asked how many people were injured and their health status.

When contacted the Office of the Chief Electoral Officer of Assam, Joint Chief Electoral Officer Rahul Chandra Das said they will be able to comment only after a detailed report is received from the Returning Officer.

A huge contingent of police and central armed police forces have been deployed, while the district SP has rushed to the spot, officials said.

According to the Dhanehori gaon panchayat president Lutfa Begum, public protested when Laskar entered the booth in late afternoon.

"People alleged that he has tried to rig the voting. Many people rushed to the spot and confined Laskar in one room. Due to this the situation became tens. A clash broke out between supporters of Laskar and his opponent," she added.

Sitting MLA Laskar is having a direct contest with Karim Uddin Barbhuiya of the AIUDF at Sonai, where voting took place on Thursday in the second phase.

"When a big crowd gathered and they tried to manhandle Laskar, his PSOs fired. In this, at least three persons were injured and they were admitted in hospitals," Begum said.

The wounded have been identified as Shamim Ahmed Choudhury, Baharul Islam and Kader Hussain, she added.

Repeated calls made to IG (Law and Order)-cum-State Police Nodal Officer Deepak Kr Kedia and Cachar SP Bhanwar Lal Meena were disconnected.

An estimated 72 per cent polling took place in Sonai, while Cachar saw a turnout of 72.28 per cent.