Odisha Panchayat Polls: Clash Over Booth Rigging, 2 Police Personnel Injured In Stone Pelting In Jajpur

Large scale violence and irregularities have been reported during the conduct of the third phase polling for the three-tier Panchayat elections in Jajpur district on Sunday. Two police personnel sustained multiple injuries in stone pelting incident by the two groups over booth rigging allegations at booth no-14 at Jari Panchayat of Bijharpur block in the district today.

As per reports, a scuffle had initially broken out between the two groups after one of them allegedly resorted to booth rigging. Though police personnel present at the spot tried to intervene, the miscreants pelted stones in front of the booth.

At least two police personnel sustained injuries in the stone pelting by the miscreants.

Earlier, three journalists of an electronic media house were attacked by a mob when they had gone to cover ballot boxes loot incident at Bachala Panchayat under Binjharpur block in the district. The vehicles of the journalists were also ransacked by the mob.

Four miscreants had decamped with the ballot boxes from booths no 4 and 6 in Bachala Panchayat today. Later, the miscreants reportedly threw the boxes in a nearby pond.

In another incident, voting got disrupted at booth no- 8, 9, 10 and 11 at Soti village under Goleipur Panchayat in Jajpur district following rigging allegations during the third phase polling today. Korei BDO was also allegedly assaulted in front of a polling booth at Soti village after he rushed to the spot on getting information about the irregularities.