Assault near booth not poll-related, say cops

Bengaluru: Tension prevailed at polling booth number 263 in Vijinapura in KR Puram on Thursday after groups of party workers clashed with each other over space to distribute voter slips.

Nayeem (38), a Congress worker and a resident of Vijinapura, was allegedly assaulted by three persons —  Syed Farooq, Syed Imran and Saddam  — in front of the booth where only two to three policemen were on duty.

Syed Imran belongs to the BJP, Nayeem said. After the quarrel and the subsequent assault, the police could not do anything as they were outnumbered.

Nayeem, in a mobile video shot by his associates said: “I was canvassing in ward no. 51, when Syed Farooq, Syed Imran and Saddam came along with a long sword. Farooq and Imran assaulted me on the head. I am bleeding profusely and if something happens to me, the three will be responsible.”

The assault lasted for about five minutes. The policemen on duty had already alerted the control room. Cops rushed to the spot and bundled Nayeem and Imran, who also suffered injuries during the assault, to a nearby hospital.

Preliminary inquiries revealed Nayeem and Imran are relatives and had issues with each other on mobilising voters from their Masjid. The duo had nurtured personal grudge against each other and when they confronted each other in front of the poll booth, they vented out their anger, said a senior police officer.

Ramamurthy Nagar police have taken up a case of assault and are yet to obtain statements from the accused. “Polling continued as usual and no disruption was caused by the incident as it is not poll-related,” a senior police officer said.