VOTING IN MANIPUR ENDS AMID REPORTS OF VIOLENCE

IMPHAL: Manipur recorded 67.77% polling till 3 pm on Saturday in the second and final phase of the assembly elections across 22 constituencies, amid stray incidents of violence reported from some places before and after voting started, officials said.

Voting began at 7 am in 1,247 polling stations across six districts amid tight security and strict adherence to Covid-19 protocols. A total of 8.38 lakh voters are eligible to exercise their franchise in this phase.

Senapati district registered the highest turnout of 74.02%, followed by Chandel at 70.30%, an election official said.

Polling was marred to some extent due to violence in some places, as security forces deployed at Ngamju polling station under Karong assembly constituency in Senapati district allegedly shot at two people, police said, without elaborating.

In a complaint filed with the Returning Officer of the polling station, the election agent of a BJP candidate demanded a magisterial inquiry into the incident.

Voting has been halted at the Ngamju polling station, the election official said.

Violence also erupted in some places of Manipur hours before the second phase of assembly polls began, as a BJP supporter was gunned down allegedly by a Congress worker, while a crude bomb exploded outside the residence of an expelled saffron party leader, police said.

L Amuba Singh, 25, succumbed to bullet injuries early

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