Jharkhand Election Phase 2: 63% Voter Turnout Recorded Amid Violence, 1 Killed

At least one person was killed and six others including policemen were injured in clashes and subsequent police firing that took place in Jharkhand's Gumla district as the second phase of Assembly election is underway.

People wait in queues to cast their votes at a polling station during the second phase of Jharkhand Assembly elections at Bundu, 45 kms from Ranchi. (Image: PTI)

Ranchi: One person was killed as security personnel opened fire on assailants who police claimed tried to snatch their arms outside a polling booth in Jharkhand, where around 63.36 per cent voter turnout was recorded in the second phase of assembly elections in 20 constituencies. The voting figure is likely to go up as reports from remote places are awaited. The voting commenced at 7 am amid tight security arrangements. Polling in 18 seats ended at 3 pm, while voters in Jamshedpur (East) -- where Chief Minister Raghubar Das is in fray -- and Jamshedpur (West) constituencies can exercise their franchise till 5 pm, an Election Commission (EC) release said. As per the Election Commission data, 60.56 per cent voting took place in the second phase. The highest polling was recorded at Bharagora assembly seat with 74.44 per cent turnout and lowest at Jamshedpur West with 46.65 per cent turnout. The voting percentage at Chief Minister Raghubar Das' Assembly seat Jamshedpur East was only 49.12 per cent. According to reports, the problem began at booth no 36 of Sisai constituency of Gumla district when people got angry due to delay in voting. They started pelting stones on the police, who retaliated with firing in which one youth sustained bullet injuries who later died in the hospital. He has been identified as Mohammad Geelani (28). Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) Murari Lal Meena said the man was killed when personnel of the Rapid Action Force (RAF) fired on the assailants near booth number 36 in Sisai constituency. The injured persons have been admitted to hospital, said Meena, who is also the nodal officer for assembly election-related security measures.

#JharkhandKaVoteParv के दूसरे चरण में 20 विधानसभा सीटों पर हुए मतदान में दिन के 3 बजे तक 59.27% मतदाताओं ने अपने मताधिकार का प्रयोग किया है।मतदान के लिए लोगो मे भारी उत्साह है। #CEOJharkhand #sveepjharkhand pic.twitter.com/Ddi2DvFCTN

— CEO Jharkhand Election (@ceojharkhand) December 7, 2019

Jharkhand Chief Electoral Officer Vinay Kumar Choubey said the incident is being probed and polling in the booth has been stopped. A police officer also suffered injuries when angry villagers resorted to stone pelting after the incident, police sources told news agency PTI. In the clashes at Sisai, an officer in-charge Vishnu Deo Chauhdray and two policemen sustained injuries. The Election Commission has sought an explanation from the Gumla district administration. In another incident, Maoist Guerrillas set on fire a bus which was going to a polling booth in Jharkhand's West Singhbhum district. According to the Police, Maoist Guerrillas set the bus on fire at Jojohatu of West Singhbhum district. ALSO READ | Jharkhand Polls: PM Modi Urges Voters To Come Out In Maximum Numbers It was also reported by PTI that a police officer died of a heart attack while on election duty in East Singhbhum district earlier in the day. Assistant sub-inspector Harish Chandra Giri, 44, was on duty at booth number 234 under Panchando cluster in Barsole under Ghatsila sub-division of the district when he suffered the heart attack, Baharagoda police station in-charge Rajdhan Singh said. A total 48,25,038 voters, including 23,93,437 female and 90 third gender voters, are eligible to vote to decide the fate of 260 candidates, including 29 women nominees and 73 independents.  According to police sources, more than 42,000 security personnel, including central forces, have been deployed on the 20 seats spread across seven districts. Out of a total of 6,066 polling stations, 949 have been declared 'critical' and 762 'sensitive' in Naxal-affected areas. The CEO said that 101 polling stations have been relocated due to security reasons, and free transport facility has been arranged for voters to reach these stations adding that webcasting facilities has been made available at 1,662 polling stations. The assembly segments that went for polls in the second phase are: Baharagora, Ghatsila, Potka, Jugsalai, Jamshedpur (East), Jamshedpur (West), Seraikela, Chaibasa, Majhgaon, Jaganathpur, Manoharpur, Chakradharpur, Kharsawan, Tamar, Torpa, Khunti, Mandar, Sisai, Simdega and Kolebira. Sixteen of the 20 constituencies are reserved for Scheduled Tribe (ST) candidates and one for Scheduled Caste (SC). The first of the five-phase polling for 13 constituencies had concluded on November 30. The rest of the three phases will be held on December 12, 16 and 20. Counting will take place on December 23. (With inputs from PTI)