Bypoll violence in Uttarakhand, Congress candidate says shots fired, police deny

“I reached there within half an hour. This man has suffered injuries from canes… There were four-five people. No one came to take them to the hospital… I could not find any officer and could see only two sub-inspectors and four constables present… We are telling the names of those who opened fire, but there is no one listening in this andheri nagri,” claimed Nizamuddin in a video he made while taking an injured person to the hospital.

Haridwar Superintendent of Police (Rural) Swapn Kishor, who is also the election nodal officer, denied the allegations and told The Indian Express, “There was a tense situation resulting in a clash. We are gathering information about injuries and their causes. We still cannot confirm what started it. However, sufficient force is deployed. The situation is peaceful now and the election process is going on smoothly.”

Voting is currently underway for bypolls in Uttarakhand’s Manglaur and Badrinath assembly constituencies.

The byelection for the Manglaur seat was necessitated by the death of Bahujan Samaj Party MLA Sarwat Karim Ansari last October. The BSP has nominated Ansari’s son, Ubedur Rehman, who is competing against Congress candidate Qazi Nizamuddin, a senior party leader who has won the seat three times previously. The BJP has fielded Kartar Singh Bhadana for the Manglaur seat, which the party has never won since Uttarakhand became a separate state.

The Badrinath seat became vacant after Congress MLA Rajendra Bhandari resigned from the House in March and joined the BJP. The BJP has nominated Bhandari for the seat, while Congress has chosen Lakhpat Butola to contest. Additionally, former CRPF officer Himmat Singh of the Sainik Samaj Party and journalist Naval Khali, running as an Independent candidate, are in the fray.