Search the Internet          Tips

One killed during first phase of UP poll

Sharat Pradhan in Shahjahanpur, Sitapur and Lucknow

One person was killed and a few hurt in sporadic incidents of violence during the first round of polling in western Uttar Pradesh on Thursday.

Ninety-two of the state's 403 constituencies went to polls during round one.

While the killing took place in Kairana subdivision of Muzaffarnagar district, skirmishes took place between political rivals in Shahjahanpur, Sitapur, Barielly and Baghpat.

However, the government said the killing was not related to the elections.

"The killing in Kairana was not poll-related. It was the result of an old enmity between the assailants and the victim," state Principal Home Secretary Naresh Dayal told rediff.com

The principal home secretary described Thursday polling as "by and large peaceful". "No serious injuries were reported from anywhere," he added.

Clashes, including exchange of fire, was reported between supporters of the Bharatiya Janata Party, Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party.

The worst clash took place in Misrikh assembly constituency of Sitapur district, where a BJP rally being addressed by Union Human Resources Development Minister Murli Manohar Joshi was allegedly disrupted by an SP candidate.

"SP candidate Om Prakash Gupta and his supporters tried to storm the venue of Joshi's meeting and began pelting stones towards the dais, following which the minister was whisked away in a security vehicle to Lucknow," police said.

In retaliation, BJP workers resorted to brick-batting, which was followed by arson in which three vehicles of the SP were set ablaze.

Joshi later said, "This was a premeditated attack by the SP and only reflects their frustration in the face of an imminent defeat at the hustings."

Back to top

Tell us what you think of this report