Protests over suspected EVM tampering: 20 persons arrested in Jajpur

Cracking down on alleged trouble-makers, police arrested 20 persons in connection with the protests and clashes that broke out on June 1 in Dharmasala and Rasulpur blocks of Jajpur on Monday.

Following the incidents, Dharmasala and Kuakhia police registered cases against over 100 people in two cases. 

Notably, on June 1, a group of people staged a road blockade in Dharmasala, alleging that some EVMs were taken to the block office instead of the strong room. They suspected EVM tampering. The situation was brought to control only after the district administration clarified that those EVMs were not used for polling and those were reserved ones.

A similar incident was reported from Rasulpur. The protestors staged demonstrations in front of the vehicles engaged in the poll duty. Similarly, tension was also reported after a vehicle, carrying election officials and EVMs from the Barchana area to Jajpur Town, halted near a hotel at Jaraka.