Kolar records 79 pc voting amidst rasta roko, lathi charge

Voting did not take place at three polling booths in the district

Villagers,  aged, physically handicapped all alike were enthusiastic about casting their votes in the Gram Panchayat elections and arrived at the polling booths quite early in the morning.

The aged and handicapped oblivious of the scorching sun and with the aid of their family members cast their votes with youthful exuberance.

According to the district police excluding KGF and Bangarpet, 78.5 per cent of voting has been recorded at 898 polling booths in the district.

Kolar has recorded 79 per cent of voting, while Malur and Srinivaspur have recorded 80 per cent of voting each and 80 per cent of voting has been recorded at Mulbagal.

Clashes have been reported at a few gram panchayats in Bangarpet, Srinivaspur and Mulbagal taluks in the district. Also incidents of voters and students being arrested for staging rasta roko have been reported. Several people suffered minor injuries in the lathi charge.

Arguments

Except for minor incidents of  heated arguments no untoward incidents have been reported at Kolar and Malur.

Voters and 11 candidates  staged a rasta roko  over discrepancy in the voters’ list at Doddur Karapanahalli in Bangarpet taluk. The police have arrested 19 people in connection with this incident.

Voting did not take place in three polling booths. It has been alleged that the candidates themselves might have prevented the voters from casting their votes. While clashes have been reported at two polling booths in Mulbagal taluk in the district.

Lathi charge

Argument over trivial matter led to a clash between activists of Congress and JD(S) at Arikunte polling booth in Srinivaspur taluk. In order to bring the situation under control the  police resorted to lathi charge.

In the lathi charge ten people were injured and one person has been admitted at the district hospital to be treated for severe injuries.

Rumour

Rumour of a septuagenarian Bachamma having died after consuming liquor, which was supplied during the campaign trail made rounds in the afternoon at a polling booth in the district.However, the deputy commissioner later clarified that old woman had died of a stomach ailment.

Excluding three taluks in the district, Kolar and Malur taluks witnessed peaceful polling in the gram panchayat elections on Saturday.

Declared sensitive

Narasapur, Vemagal, Madderi, Chanchimale and other constituencies in Vemagal taluk  were declared as sensitive areas. However, no incidents of violence were reported in these Gram Panchayat constituencies.