Jamshedpur: Polling in Maheshpur in Ghatsila sub-divison was disrupted for a while on Friday after CPI (Maoists) fired in the air to scare away voters during the
Jamshedpur parliamentary by-polls.
The Maoists, which have already given poll boycott call through posters and banners in various villages under Ghorabandha police station, fired a couple of rounds in the air from the hill top, confirmed Sub-divisional Officer
(Ghatsila), Sandip Bakshi.
Bakshi told a news agency that the motive was to disturb the ongoing polling but it continued unhampered.
The villagers, however, claimed that the polling was disrupted for a while following the firing but resumed soon.
The district administration has made elaborate security arrangements to ensure free and fair poll today.
The border with adjoining states West Bengal and Orissa was sealed while patrolling intensified in view of the reported Jharkhand bandh called by the ultra group in protest against Chilkari judgement recently besides the issue of price
rise.
However, no official confirmation was received as yet about the Maoists bandh.
The administration have also pressed a chopper for air-surveillance in Naxal-affected pockets of the sub-divison to keep an eye on the Naxal movement during the poll, official sources added.
PTI
First Published: Friday, July 01, 2011, 16:01