Polling disrupted in Kairana, BSF fires in air

A poll official applies indelible phosphorus ink on the fore finger of a voter (File Photo/IANS)

A poll official applies indelible phosphorus ink on the fore finger of a voter (File Photo/IANS)

Shamli (Uttar Pradesh):  Polling in Raulpur Gujran in Uttar Pradesh’s Kairana Lok Sabha constituency was disrupted on Thursday due to mob trouble, forcing the BSF to fire in the air to disperse the crowd.
The trouble began after two villagers, Ajmer Singh and Pahal Singh, alleged that the polling staff asked them to vote for the SP-BSP candidate and so they returned without casting their vote.
After hearing the allegation, a huge crowd from the village rushed to the polling station which was operated in a primary school. The villagers started shouting slogans against the election staff.
When the crowd seemed to go out of control, the BSF troopers opened fire in the air after which the crowd dispersed.
As news of the firing became known, District Magistrate Akhilesh Singh and Senior Superintendent of Police Ajay Kumar rushed to the area and found that peace had been restored at the polling station.
The polling then resumed after remaining suspended for some 25 minutes.

 Published on: Apr 11, 2019 at 16:12 IST

IANS