Patna/Ranchi, Feb 23: An estimated 55 per cent of
the 2.65 crore voters exercised their franchise today in the
final phase of polling in assembly elections in Bihar and
Jharkhand where sporadic violence killed six people and
injured as many.
Election department sources said 50 to 55 per cent
turnout was recorded both for the 93 assembly seats in Bihar
and 28 constituencies in Jharkhand where the electoral fate of
1865 candidates including Bihar Chief Minister Rabri Devi and
rebel Jharkhand Mukti Morcha leader Stephen Marandi are in
fray.
In Bihar, where shoot-at-sight orders were in force
against booth grabbers and the border with Nepal was sealed,
three persons were killed in bomb explosion in Siwan hours
before the poll while Vaishali, Patna and Muzaffarpur district
accounted for one death each.
In Jharkhand, a jawan of Special Task Force was killed
and three persons were injured in a landmine blast near the
Jhumra Hills in Bokaro.
Besides Rabri Devi, other prominent candidates in Bihar
include senior RJD ministers Awadh Bihari Choudhury, Udit Rai
and Indrani Devi, wife of Rabri Devi`s high-profile brother
Sadhu Yadav in Bihar.
Jharkhand`s Dumka constituency was the cynosure of all
eyes as Marandi, a Rajya Sabha member, was battling mentor and
Union Coal Minister Sibu Soren`s son Hemant. Durga, Soren`s
other son, is seeking re-election from Jama.
Police super of Bihar`s Sitamarhi district Kundan Krishna
ordered the immediate arrest of RJD Lok Sabha member from
Sitamarhi Sitaram Yadav for allegedly trying to create
disturbances during the polls in Pupri assembly constituency.
An FIR was filed against Yadav and his bodyguard who
managed to escape.
Elsewhere in the state, one person was killed when the
BSF fired at booth grabbers at Gosai village in Patna
district, police sources said.
Dreaded criminal Mohan Sahni was killed when crude bombs
being made by him went off at Balha-Basanta village in Lalganj
assembly constituency in Vaishali district, the sources said.
A voter was killed and another injured when a booth was
attacked at Bania-Bhagwanpur village in Paru assembly
constituency in Muzzafarpur district.
Three persons were killed as the bombs being made by them
exploded at village Harnathpur in Siwan district late last
night, the sources said.
A record 500 companies of para-military forces were
deployed for the elections in the state.
A Presiding Officer was hospitalised when anti-socials
attacked a booth with stones at Hilsa in Nalanda district, the
sources said.
Two RJD activists Ramlakhan Rai and Durga Rai were
injured in a bomb blast at a booth at Hajipur.
Four persons were injured in a clash between supporters
of two rival groups at a booth at Patahi under Dhaka assembly
constituency in East Champaran district.
In another incident, three persons were injured as rival
groups exchanged fire at Dalluchak in Danapur constituency
following which the police opened fire, the sources said.
Anti-socials exploded several bombs at a polling station
in Danapur before voting was taken up. Explosions were also
reported from Punaichak and Patna city but none was injured,
they said.
Booth grabbers snatched two rifles from security men at
Pasauli in Kurhni constituency of Muzaffarpur district.
Three rifles and several rounds of ammunition were seized
from near polling booths in Sonepur and Baniapur assembly
constituencies in Saran district.
Seven candidates from Bihar, including RJD Minister Udit
Rai, Congress leader Sunil Kumar Singh, independents Amrit
Choudhury and Arun Kumar Singh were detained in Saran district
for allegedly trying to create disturbances.
Moving against potential trouble makers during the poll,
authorities had externed RJD Lok Sabha members, including
Union Minister of State for Agriculture Akhilesh Prasad Singh,
Raghunath Jha, Sadhu Yadav, JD-U MP Prabhunath Singh were
externed by district authorities from Motihari, Bettiah,
Gopalganj and Siwan districts respectively.
The police also raided the house of JD-U MP from
Maharajganj Prabhunath Singh and took one of his relatives
into custody last night. Singh too was externed by the
authorities from Siwan, official sources said.
Bureau Report
