The worrying trend of poll violence continued in the second phase of panchayat elections on Friday as incidents of ballot box loot, booth rigging and group clash were reported from various parts of the State.
In Jagatsinghpur, unidentified miscreants looted ballot boxes from polling booths 1 and 2 in Patasara panchayat on the day. Sources said a polling agent reached booth 1 and directed the presiding officer to open the ballot box. When the officer refused to comply, supporters of a sarpanch candidate created a ruckus which led to disruption of polling.
Later, around 25 miscreants barged into both the booths and decamped with the ballot boxes before terrorising the polling personnel with a gun. Four agents and two polling personnel were injured in the attack by the miscreants. Jagatsinghpur SP Akhileshwar Singh said three cases, including one by presiding officer of booth 1 Trilochan Swain, have been registered and stringent action will be taken against those involved in the incident. The ballot boxes are yet to be recovered.
Similarly, miscreants looted a ballot box from booth 9 at Dasarathpur panchayat in Jajpur district and threw it in a pond. Sources said after polling ended, officials at the booth sealed the ballot boxes to shift those to the strong room at the block headquarters. All of a sudden, unidentified miscreants entered the booth and decamped with a ballot box.
The ballot box was later recovered from the nearby pond. Though a complaint was filed with the local police in this connection, no arrest has been made so far.On the day, the Jajpur Collector recommended re-polling at booths 7 and 8 in Kanikapada panchayat under Dasarathapur block after allegations of booth capturing came to the fore.
In a separate incident, hundreds of voters staged road blockade alleging booth rigging in Nalipur panchayat under Barachana block. A voter alleged that some miscreants barged into booths 1 and 2 in Nalipur after the polling ended and rigged the ballots. The agitators demanded re-polling in both the booths.
In Ganjam, a group of miscreants forcibly entered the booth at Ramayapatana under Katuru panchayat in Chikiti and decamped with 32 ballot papers. They also vandalised a car parked near the booth. Similarly, 82 ballot papers were snatched from the booth at Khiladi village in Kalabada. In Bairibada village under Pitatali panchayat, miscreants poured ink and water in a ballot box. In Gaunju village under Rangeilunda block, 10 persons were injured in a clash between supporters of two sarpanch candidates. Police have detained six persons for questioning.