New Delhi: Congress candidate from Inner Manipur Angomcha Bimol Akoijam charged the police personnel over "disturbance" at a polling booth in East Imphal on the first phase of polling for the Lok Sabha elections on Friday.
In a video that went viral on the social media, Akoijam could be seen confronting the police and accusing them of laxity in duty as he alleged the polling agent was reportedly “threatened and thrown out.”
“What is your job here? You didn’t enforce any personnel. The polling agent was threatened and he left. You allowed the agent to leave. The polling officer has already complained that there was a commotion here and the polling agent was threatened. How come there was a commotion here and the police officer concerned is not even aware of it? How come the polling agent was thrown out when you were supposed to guard the booth? You are supposed to ensure peaceful conduct of voting,” Akoijam could be heard saying during a heated exchange with the police personnel.
Meanwhile, sporadic incidents of intimidation and firing were reported from two places in Inner Manipur on Friday, news agency PTI reported.
At Thamnapokpi under Moirang constituency in Bishnupur district, armed men reportedly fired several rounds in the air near a polling booth prompting the voters to flee, police said. Additional security personnel were deployed in the area. Unidentified armed men also intimidated polling agents of a particular political party at different places and asked them to leave the polling stations, police said.
At Uripok and Iroishemba in Imphal West district, armed men asked the agents of a party to leave the premises of polling stations, police added, reported PTI.