Violence in 11 districts marks final phase

In Rae Bareli district’s Kundanganj village,six persons were injured in a police firing following a clash at a polling booth. The incident took place when villagers attacked the police team when it prevented some youths from casting bogus votes. Some in the mob fired at the policemen,said Rae Bareli SP Ajay Mohan Sharma. Later,15 people were arrested.

Six persons,including a constable,suffered gunshot injuries in the clash before additional force rushed to the spot and dispersed the mob. The injured were admitted at the district hospital. A woman,who was critically injured,was referred to the CSMMU Trauma Centre in Lucknow.

In Siddhartha Nagar district,the police detained a civil judge — reportedly posted with the Chhapra district court in Bihar — for over two hours after he had an altercation with a policeman at a polling booth.

The judge,Ram Chandra Mishra,was visiting his brother Umesh — reportedly contesting for the pradhan’s post in Kharchaula village.

According to Siddhartha Nagar SP Mahesh Kumar Mishra,Ram had entered into an argument with a constable who had asked him to stay away from a polling booth. The constable reported the matter to his seniors,who detained Ram in a police jeep after he misbehaved with them too. Later,he was released following intervention of District Magistrate Pragyan Ram Mishra.

In other related incidents,Rajendra Singh — Samajwadi Party MLA from Dhuriyapar constituency in Gorakhpur — and a retired DSP,Nanhe Singh,were arrested in separate election-related cases in Gorakhpur and Bahraich districts,said ADG (Law and Order) Brij Lal.

While Rajendra’s brother is contesting for the post of the block development committee member,Nanhe Singh’s sister-in-law is contesting for the pradhan’s post.