Police use mild force; polling resumes under tight security
Jamshedpur, Feb 23: Voting at a municipal council election booth in the Jugsalai police station area was briefly disrupted after a violent clash broke out between supporters of two ward councilor candidates at GRD English School in Ward No. 3 on Monday.
According to eyewitnesses, the dispute began over allegations of fraudulent voting. Supporters from both sides accused each other of attempting to rig the polling process and creating disturbances out of fear of losing the election. The verbal argument soon turned into a physical fight, with supporters engaging in heavy kicking and punching inside the booth premises. The situation created panic and a stampede-like atmosphere among voters.
Considering the seriousness of the incident, election duty personnel temporarily halted the voting process to ensure safety. On receiving information, Jugsalai police reached the spot with additional force. Police resorted to a mild lathi charge to disperse the crowd and bring the situation under control. The supporters involved in the clash were removed from the booth premises.
After normalcy was restored, polling resumed smoothly. As a precautionary measure, additional police personnel have been deployed outside the booth to prevent further disturbances.
The incident highlights rising tensions at the grassroots level during the electoral process. While timely police action prevented a major escalation, officials said strict vigilance would continue at sensitive booths to ensure that voters can cast their votes peacefully and without fear.
