11 killed in police firing during Assam panchayat polls

At least eleven people were killed in police firing and seven CRPF personnel and policemen injured in violence in Goalpara district during the third and final phase of the panchayat elections in Assam on Tuesday.

Four people were killed in Kahiribari, two each in Kasadhal, Chilukut and Rakshishini and one in Bekipul after the police opened fire, police sources said.

The firing took place when those in Rabha Hasong Autonomous District Council areas opposed to the holding of the panchayat elections ahead of the Autonomous Council polls, attacked polling centres in different parts of the district, the sources said.

Principal Secretary Home G D Tripathy told PTI that large groups of people attacked polling centres forcing the police to open fire.

The dead, including three women, were identified as Panchami Rabha, Alka Rabha, Nipon Rabha, Pradip Rabha, Dharanidhar Rabha, Kenki Rabha, Bichitra Rabha, Patan Rabha, Amiya Rabha, Amrit Rabha and Jare Rabha.

Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi announced Rs 5 lakh for the next of kin of those killed in the police firing.

Gogoi said that nobody could stop polling as it was a democratic process.

Four CRPF personnel and three policemen personnel, including the Officer-in-Charge of Krishnai police station were seriously injured in the violence, the sources said.

Following the violence, the army was deployed in Krishnai police station area where indefinite curfew was imposed, Principal Secretary (Home) G D Tripathy said.

Several other people were injured in poll-related clashes in different parts of the district where five vehicles, including two each of police and polling personnel and a media house, were set on fire, the sources said.

Poll violence was also reported from BarakValley districts where several people were injured in clashes among different party supporters in Cachar, Karimganj and Hailakandi.

Police resorted to blank firing at a polling centre in LalaAmarbatiLowerPrimary School when ballot papers were snatched away, police sources said.

Clashes also took place at Katigora, Borkhola, Chappa and West Silchar of Cachar district as well as Nilambazar, Ratabari, Patharkandi and West Karimganj of Karimganj district, the sources said.

Ballot papers were snatched away and some ballot boxes thrown into ponds by miscreants in both the districts leading to clashes, they said.

Attempts at poll rigging were also made at various polling centres, they added.

In Nagaon district two persons were injured in rival party skirmishes at MubarakBastiLowerPrimary School.