Several instances of violence were reported from various places in the State during the second phase of the panchayat elections held on Wednesday.
Tension ran high in Kasurbandha gram panchayat in Boudh district after two rival groups clashed, leaving six injured.
Members of a group opened three rounds of blank firing and attacked supporters of a Sarpanch at Booth 11 and 12 of the panchayat. They also damaged the candidate’s vehicle. In view of the tension, voting in the area was halted for some time. Police seized a cartridge from the spot. A platoon of police force was still deployed there.
A group clash was also reported from Kumarpur-Sashank road in Athagarh area while BJD MlA Ranendra Pratap Swain was campaignin. As per a complaint lodged in the Gurudijhatia police station, two motorcycles were gutted while two others and a bicycle were ransacked. A youth has reportedly gone missing following the incident.
Police have reached the spot and started investigation.
Similarly, voting was stopped at Booth 6 of Radhanga under Kurli panchayat of Rayagada district’s Bissam Katak block as miscreants captured ballot boxes.
According to sources, around 30 miscreants barged into the booth during early hours of voting and snatched ballot papers. They also thrashed the Presiding Officer for resisting them and locked up the polling officials before fleeing.