Widespread poll malpractices

JAJPUR: Violence marred the final phase of the three-tier panchayat polls on Sunday with incidents of ballot boxes snatching, booth-capturing and rigging being reported from across the district.About 50 tribal women reportedly barged into booth no. 9 of Jaanar village in Gobardhanpur panchayat under Danagadi block and attempted to loot the ballot boxes. When the police resorted to lathi-charge to disperse them, they retaliated with lethal weapons injuring a sub-inspector of Tamka police station. Additional police forces were rushed to the spot and five persons arrested in this connection. In another incident, miscreants snatched ballot boxes from booth no. 4 in Pankapal panchayat under the Danagadi block and dumped them in a nearby pond. Snatching of ballot papers and rigging were also reported from two booths in Pankapal panchayat and another four in Ostapal panchayat of the block.Tension prevailed at Bartanda panchayat in Sukinda block when supporters of the BJD and Congress allegedly clashed outside a booth. However, polling continued without any disruption, reports said.Eight persons from both the sides were injured in the clash. Later two of the seriously injured were shifted to SCB Medical in Cuttack. Police have been deployed at the troubled site.Paradip: Ballot boxes from booths in wards  9 and 7 in Nuaratanpur village under Kunjkothi panchayat were looted by some miscreants on Sunday.Sources said around 15 miscreants barged into ward 9 booth and attacked the polling personnel. They then looted the ballot boxes and threw them into a nearby pond.In booth 7, another group of miscreants attacked the polling officer and took away the ballot box. Though police rushed, the ballot boxes are yet to be recovered.Ersama BDO-cum-Returning officer Kanhu Charna Dhir said the district administration had recommended re-polling in these booths.On the other hand, the villagers of Katakan and Nokaipur under Ersama block boycotted the last phase of panchayat polls protesting lack of anganwadi centres in their villages.The Women and Child Development Department had decided to open anganwadi centres in the two villages. However, with nothing                   being done in this regard, the villagers decided to boycott the polls to lodge their protest.Aska: Miscreants looted ballot box from booth no 5 in Jali village and tore ballot papers in booth no 7 in Kendupali village under Dharakote panchayat during the last phase of panchayat poll on Sunday.Polling had to be stopped in these booths following the incidents.Bargarh: Tension gripped village Kalangapali under Chakarkend gram panchayat of  Bargarh Sadar block after supporters of a defeated samiti member Umesh Panda opened fire and hurled a crude bomb late on Saturday night. They also attacked the house of one Urmila Mahakur and set ablaze a two-wheeler. The police have detained 49 persons and seized one empty shell of a cartridge, two mini-trucks and one jeep used in the violence. A case has been registered and  investigation is on. Panda is supposed to be a BJD rebel candidate.