Two killed in Uttar Pradesh panchayat polls violence
By IANSFriday, October 22, 2010
LUCKNOW - Two people were killed in sporadic incidents of violence during the third round of the four-phased panchayat polls in Uttar Pradesh Friday.
While candidate Shyam Tripathi was gunned down in a clash with a rival candidate in Sant Kabirnagar district, another candidate Vishal Singh died of gunshot wounds in a crossfire between two rival groups outside a polling centre in Jaunpur district, officials said here.
About 70 percent polling was reported at 6 p.m. but election officials expected the figure to rise as details of the turnout were still awaited from remote corners of the state.
According to Joint State Election Commissioner J.P. Singh: Minor incidents of violence were reported from certain other parts of the state, but there were no casualties.
There were incidents of damage to the ballot boxes in some areas.
Pouring of water inside ballot boxes was reported from Ghazipur, Ramabai Nagar (Kanpur - Rural), Balrampur, Kannauj, Meerut, Pratapgarh, Deoria, Saharanpur, Allahabad, Bareilly, Azamgarh, Ambedkar Nagar and Muzaffarnagar districts, Singh said.
Repoll has been ordered in these areas.
The fourth and final phase of polling is scheduled Oct 25.
