Polling begins with reports of clashes and lathicharge

Hyderabad, July 2 (UNI) The polling for the second phase of local body elections covering eleven districts began with reports of clashes, police lathicharge and ballot box snatching.

According to the State Election Commission (SEC), the average polling recorded stood at 25.26 per cent at noon in the state.

In Chittor district, the polling was 22.26 per cent. The polling percentage for other districts were Guntur 31.2 per cent, Khammam 25.3 per cent, Nellore 27 per cent, Ranga Reddy 23 per cent, Srikakulam 24.22 per cent.

Visakhapatnam registered the lowest percentage of 18 per cent at noon in the state.

In Srikakulam district in Chipurlapally village under Kotabommali mandal miscreants snatched ballot boxes and dropped them in a well.

Similiar incidents were also reported from Kondalarayani Palem in Guntur district.

In Guntur district, Police resorted to lathicharge in Vatticherukuru and Karlapalem mandals.

Five persons were injured in the lathicharge.

Incidents of lathicharge were reported from Narasarao Pet in the same district.

In Nizamabad, a police constable was injured when he tried to pacify clashing Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and Telangana Rashtra Samathi (TRS) actvists.

Low polling was reported from the Visakahapatnam city due to heavy rains. In Guntur district police seized bombs from miscreants in Rompicharla mandal.

In Srikakulam district, villagers on the border of Orissa could not exercise their franchise as river Mahendra Tanaya was in spate.

UNI JRK/AP VA RS1346