Scuffle at polling booth turns into group clash later

Fear gripped Sheshadripuram area in the city on Wednesday night after a scuffle between supporters of two political parties broke out in the premises of a polling booth at Bhoopalam school in Lashkar Mohalla and later turned into a group clash between two different communities.

According to police, there was a scuffle between workers of two political parties in the premises of a polling booth over some frivolous issue. But one group carried on after the election when workers of one political party were walking back to their homes after completing their duties.

Read | Karnataka Assembly Elections 2023: Exit polls show it’s advantage Congress

Two bike-borne workers of another party drove their vehicles recklessly, touching the leg of those returning home. This led to a duel between two groups.

Sensing that the situation might worsen, SP G K Mithun Kumar and other police officials rushed to the spot and asked both the groups to disperse as prohibitory orders were in place in the wake of elections. Police personnel were deployed in the area. Kote Police registered a case.

Speaking to DH, Superintendent of Police Mithun Kumar G K said that the scuffle between workers of two political parties was the main reason and it was not a communal clash. There is no blood injury as there was some skirmish between the two groups. People of both the communities gathered at Sheshadirpuram. But the situation is under control.