Curtains down with 83 turnout

The DEO added that in several polling stations in Tamenglong AC there was attempts by militants to disrupt the poll process and threats had kept voters away till around 10.30 am. 8220;Reports from presiding officers will have to be studied closely. We have been getting reports of a series of intimidation attempts by militants from both Tamei and Tamenglong ACs,8221; Pamei said.

Naga-dominated Tamenglong has been seeing a power struggle between the Isak-Muivah and Khaplang factions of the NSCN, sources said. There have also been widespread reports of intimidation of voters in the villages by militants, on top of a ban on contesting slapped on candidates by the NSCN K.

This situation has prompted the EC to press 39 companies of central paramilitary forces into election duty, apart from the Assam Rifles who are carrying out area domination activities. Out of the 124 polling stations, 80 have been declared hypersensitive and the remaining as sensitive, and 56 EVMs will be airlifted to the district headquarters.

Independent candidate Khanthuanang Panmei, who had been abducted and subsequently released by the NSCN I-M, refused to meet the media. Panmei himself was untraceable and had not cast his vote till midday. Police said the 12 security personnel on duty on the night Panmei was abducted have been suspended and remanded to police custody.

Chandel, with Kuki and Naga voters, saw it8217;s own share of violence as reports from security forces deployed there said voters did not turn up at two polling stations in Tengnoupal AC till 11.30 am following threats by suspected NSCN I-M cadres. Once polling began, an EVM was damaged at one of these two polling stations, CEO RR Rashmi said. There were also reports of clashes between supporters in Tengnoupal.

Four incidents of firing were reported from Churachandpur. While some shots were fired by party workers in one instance, BSF fired several rounds in the air to disperse clashing supporters.