3 killed as violence mars UP panchayat polls

Three persons, including a candidate for the post of village pradhan, were killed and over two dozen injured, some seriously, as violence marred the first phase of polling for ‘gram panchayats’ in Uttar Pradesh on Saturday.

Incidents of clashes, firing and booth-capturing were reported from several parts of the state, according to police sources here.

Two persons were killed when rival groups clashed at Chirra village in the state’s Mainpuri district during the polling, sources said, adding  six others received injuries and were admitted to the hospital.

Tension prevailed in the village following the incident and senior security personnel were deployed in strength as a precautionary measure.

Candidate shot dead
A candidate for the post of village chief, Awadhesh Kumar was shot dead by unidentified assailants in Etmadpur area in Agra district on Saturday morning. Kumar was fired at point blank range when he came out of his house to leave for the polling arena.

At least a dozen people were injured in clashes between supporters of rival candidates in Etah district.

The condition of six of the injured was stated to be critical, sources said. Firearms were used in the clashes, they added. A police team also came under attack in the district.
Reports of clashes have were also received from Amroha, Ballia, Barabanki, Muzaffarnagar and some other districts also.

Sources said that at some places, the police had to lathi-charge to disperse the fighting  groups. Three persons were injured in violent clashes during the polling at Sant Kabir Nagar district.

Sources said miscreants  tried to capture the polling booths in some areas, forcing the security personnel to use force.

Over 1.25 lakh candidates were in the fray for over 15 thousand gram pradhan seats in the first phase of polling in the state.

Sources said security personnel had been deployed in strength in the districts where polling was conducted in the first phase. The police also detained several people in connection with the violence.