Guwahati/Imphal: The Manipur Police arrested three people late Friday in connection with a firing incident at Moirangkampu Sajeb Upper Primary School in Khurai assembly constituency in which a voter sustained bullet injuries. The police also recovered arms and ammunition, mobile phones, cash and a vehicle from the possession of the accused.
Gunshots, booth-capturing and destruction of electronic voting machines (EVMs) kept Manipur tense in the first phase of Lok Sabha elections Friday, with 72 percent voter turnout in the valley districts of Inner Manipur constituency, and 62 percent for the hill districts under Outer Manipur.
The three assembly segments of Kangpokpi district under Outer Manipur constituency recorded lowest voter turnout — around 30 percent till 5 pm compared to the overall voter turn of Outer Manipur, according to the Election Commission.
Several people were injured in attacks by “armed miscreants” in the valley areas, including a senior citizen, local media reported.
Manipur has two Lok Sabha constituencies. Inner Manipur, which voted Friday, encompasses Imphal East, Imphal West, and some assembly constituencies in Thoubal and Bishnupur District. Besides, 15 assembly segments of the Outer Manipur constituency also went to the polls in the first phase, with the rest set to vote on 26 April. No untoward incident was reported from the hill districts.
The Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee has lodged complaints alleging cases of poll violence — “booth-capturing, rigging and forced vote-casting” across 36 assembly segments of Inner Manipur.
A local resident in Imphal told ThePrint that armed groups had been interfering in the electoral process at various places since voting began early Friday across 32 assembly segments of Inner Manipur.
Local resident Khoisnam Sanayaima, 70, was rushed to Raj Medicity hospital in Imphal with a broken rib and gunshot wound after indiscriminate firing at the polling booth of Moirangkampu Sajeb Upper Primary School.
According to media reports, two among a group of armed miscreants travelling in a Mahindra XUV vehicle had stormed into the booth. However, they were cornered by the voters at the station, after which the men started firing into the mob, injuring the septuagenarian voter. Following the incident, irate voters set the EVM and VVPAT machines on fire.
Three people were injured in gunfire at a polling station in Thamanpokpi under Moirang assembly constituency in Bishnupur district. Further, at least 20 people in camouflage fatigues barged into the polling station at The National Children’s School in Thongju assembly constituency. Voting was also disrupted at the Khongman Zone 5 Community Hall for a few hours following interference by armed people. The chaos led to locals engaging in heated arguments with the polling officials. Some resorted to destroying EVMs.
The presiding officer at Bamon Kampu polling station under Kshetrigao constituency told local media that armed miscreants not only disrupted election proceedings, but also threatened voters.
At Arapti polling station in Keirao assembly constituency, “armed insurgents” disrupted voting and assaulted people, leading to six people being injured. Voting came to a halt at this booth, but later resumed on intervention by security forces.
A few EVMs were damaged at polling stations in Iroishemba Mamang Leikai under Heingang assembly constituency in Imphal East district as voters were stopped from voting by “armed goons”.
In a separate incident, a confrontation broke out between a police officer and Congress candidate Angomcha Bimol Akoijam at Kyamgei Heibong Makhong High School in Keirao assembly constituency over the purported failure of the security personnel to address a complaint lodged by one of Akoijam’s agents. ThePrint has seen a video of the incident being circulated on social media.
On Saturday, the Returning Officer, also the Deputy Commissioner of Imphal West District, Th Kirankumar Singh submitted an application to the Chief Electoral Officer, Manipur, suggesting that six polling stations should go for repoll.
These include polling stations at Moirangkampu Sajeb Upper Primary School, 5/31 Khongman Zone (V), 10/1-Iroisemba Upper Primary School (Eastern Wing), 10/6-Iroisemba Upper Primary School (Western Wing), 10/7 – Iroisemba Upper Primary 5 School (Middle Wing) and 18/22-Khaidem Makha.
A copy of the letter to the officer has been accessed by ThePrint.
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Low voter turnout in hill districts
In Kangpokpi district, the Kuki-Zo community abstained from voting Friday in protest against alleged government apathy and injustice against the tribal community in wake of the year-long ethnic conflict in the state. Most of the polling stations in the district witnessed complete voter abstention during the first phase of the Lok Sabha elections.
At polling stations across the three assembly constituencies of 46-Saikul, 50-Kangpokpi, and 51-Saitu, the Kuki-Zo community constitutes the majority population while a few stations have the presence of Nagas and Nepalese people. The total voter turnout in Kangpokpi district is expected to fall below 30 percent.
Earlier, the Kuki Inpi Sadar Hills, the apex body of the Kuki tribes in the district, issued a strong statement urging all Kuki residents in Sadar Hills to refrain from participating in the election. However, it was clarified that their approach to the Lok Sabha polls is not about “boycotting” but rather choosing to “abstain from voting”. The decision was endorsed by the Committee on Tribal Unity and also at the local level by local town bodies and village authorities.
Low voter turnout was also reported at many polling stations of Churachandpur district.
Four candidates are fighting for the Outer Manipur Lok Sabha seat whereas there are six candidates in the fray in Inner Manipur constituency. The remaining 13 assembly segments of Outer Manipur parliamentary constituency will go to the polls on 26 April.
Thounaojam Basanta Singh of the BJP, Congress’ Dr Angomcha Bimol Akoijam, the Republican Party of India (Athawale)’s Maheshwar Thounaojam and three Independents are contesting for the Inner Manipur constituency.
The four candidates contesting for the Outer Manipur seat are Timothy Zimik of the Naga People’s Front, an ally of the BJP-led NDA, Alfred Arthur of the Congress and two Independents.
(Edited by Nida Fatima Siddiqui)
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