Marked by stray violence, 55 pc turnout in Bihar civic body polls

Patna, May 26 (UNI) An estimated 55 per cent of the 6.1 million electorate exercised its franchise today in the elections to 112 urban civic bodies across Bihar.

Secretary of state election commission Raghuvansh Kumar Singh said there had been no report of poll irregularities.

State home secretary Afzal Amanullah said besides, a death in group clashes, more than 1100 people were taken into police custody on charges of trying to disturb the election process during the and violation of the prohibitory orders.

More than 40 vehicles were seized at various places across the state and cases were registered against the owners.

Meanwhile, police superintendent of Munger Vimal Kumar said that one person was killed while two others were injured in a group clash at ward No-32 under Kotwali police station. In another incident, one Nand Kishore Mandal sustained injuries in the clash between two rival groups at Muksuspur locality under Kotwali police station in the district, he added.

Earlier during the day, Additional police superintendent of Vaishali Anil Singh and his bodyguard survived an attempt on their lives at booth number 29/30 in ward-10 in Hajipur when trouble mongers triggered a powerful bomb explosion. Altogether eight people, including an RJD leader Shahid Jamal were arrested in connection with the blast.

''Mr Jamal was trying to influence the polling in favour of his brother Mohammad Shabir, who is a candidate for the local body in ward No.10,'' police said.

In Nawada district, police resorted to mild lathicharge to disperse rival groups engaged in clash following detection of a forged photo identity card from the possession of a voter at Moglakhar village.

According to reports received from Bhagalpur, six people including two policemen were injured in Ward-42 when two rival groups clashed following dispute over the alleged bogus voting at booth No.42 in the area. Police lathicharged to scare away the rival groups and arrested 38 people in connection with this incident.

In Dehri-on-Sone, two candidates and a RJD leader were taken into police custody at separate places, on charges of influencing the polling.

UNI