"Two persons were killed and 18 others including three poll officials and a policeman injured in election related clashes in the state. A total of 21 such violent incidents took place during the panchayat polls," Additional Director General of Police (law and order) Brijlal told media-persons in Lucknow. A person was killed in firing when two contestants clashed during polling in Jahanpur village at Muzaffarnagar. In Firozabad, Guddi Devi was killed in firing and another person injured in Sengri village when rival workers clashed, Brijlal said, adding both cases were firing among rival groups. Rival workers used firearms and indulged in heavy stone pelting during clashes in Firozabad, Amethi, Muzaffarnagar, Jaunpur and other places, he added.
In Jaunpur district, the jeep of a sector magistrate was set afire in Khetapur village when rival groups alleged fake voting in a booth. Six persons were injured in brick batting between rival groups in Ziyarmau village of Jaunpur. According the ADGP, 21 incidents of pouring ink in ballot boxes was reported in as many districts while five incidents of ballot box snatching also took place. "A total of 38 persons have been arrested so far for disturbing the polling process," Brijlal added.
Sporadic clashes were also reported from various parts of Allahabad. Two jeeps and an equal number of motorcycles were damaged in the stone pelting while five persons were injured in the lathi-charge that ensued at Kaundhiyara block.
The state election commission said that 75 per cent voting was registered in the second phase of polling. Four persons were killed and over 36 injured in clashes between rival groups during the first-phase of panchayat elections on October 11.
Polling was held at 15,312 wards of Chettra panchayat, 635 of zilla panchayats and over 1.54 lakh of village panchayats spread over 198 development blocks in the state.
