62 pc polling in 6th phase, stray incidents in some parts

Police fired 12 rounds on a mob in self-defence in the air at Maya Bigaha village under Madanpur police station area in Aurangabad district following attempts to snatch their arms when some miscreants tried to cast bogus votes, state election commissioner J K Dutta told reporters.

The police burst teargas shells on a mob at booth numbers 1 and 2 under Narpatganj police station area in Araria district after a group clashed with the cops, he said.

In Gaya district, the journalist brother of a mukhiya candidate Ramashraya Yadav was injured when attacked by a rival group from the village at booth number 121 and 122 under Konch police station area, Dutta said.

In Vaishali district four persons were injured in a clash between rival supporters at Dasbihari village under Bidupur police station area, Dutta said.

Police lathicharged a group of miscreants as they tried to disrupt voting at the polling station number 32 and 34 in Sohra panchayat under Ashok Paper Mill police station area of Darbhanga district, Dutta said.

Altogether 1,024 persons were arrested from across the state, 218 vehicles impounded and Rs 83,325 in cash recovered on charge of indulging in poll-related violence and attempt at booth rigging, the senior official said.

Dutta said Katihar and Kishanganj districts recorded the highest voter turnout at 75 per cent each, while Sheikhpura registered the lowest turnout at 51.5 per cent.

The sixth-phase of panchayat polls were held for 28,057 posts of gram panchayat 'mukhiya', gram panchayat members, 'gram kachheri sarpanch', 'gram kachheri panch', panchayat samiti members and zila parishad members at 58 blocks spread over 38 districts.