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Another video showing the capturing of a booth during the first phase voting of Odisha Panchayat polls on Wednesday went viral on various social platforms today.
The alleged incident was reported at booth number- 11 in Nihalprasad Pachayat under Gondia Block of Dhenkanal district.
Some miscreants reportedly attacked the presiding officer, Purnachandra Roul, and forced him out of the polling booth.
In the video, the miscreants can be seen locking the doors and capturing the booth. They were also seen taking away bundles of ballot papers kept on a table at the booth.
Meanwhile, Dhenkanal district Collector Saroj Kumar Sethi said that four persons involved in rigging booths in the district have been arrested and further investigation in connection with the violent incident is underway.
“Strict action has been initiated against people responsible for snatching ballot papers in 2, 6, 7 and 11 booths in Nihalprasad. Police have arrested four persons and strict vigil has been kept in the region to ensure law and order. I have spoken to the Dhenkanal SP regarding the security of the hyper sensitive booths in Sadar and Odapada Blocks during the second phase voting tomorrow. Police are monitoring the situation closely and strict action will be taken against those responsible for breaking rules and regulations,” said Sethi.
Meanwhile, police on Thursday arrested as many as 14 persons in connection with poll rigging incidents at three booths in Dharmasala Block and two others at Rudrapur booth under Jajpur Block in Jajpur district yesterday.
The video of the booth capturing by a Sarpanch candidate and his supporters at Ward number-5 in Rudrapur Panchayat under Jajpur’s Bari Block was captured live in a mobile phone camera during the Panchayat elections in the State yesterday.
In the video, the Sarpanch candidate and his supporters were seen forcefully capturing the ballot box and dropping multiple ballot papers into it after stamping on their election symbol.
