A Congress candidate in Manipur was apprehended in charges of assaulting a police personnel who was on polling duty.
Congress candidate apprehended in Manipur:
The candidate allegedly mugged an on-duty polling personnel during the first phase of Manipur assembly elections.
About the incident:
Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh has publicly denounced the action against party candidate Lamtinthang Haokip in Saitu constituency of Kangpokpi district as a “murder of democracy” by Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh.
Haokip was booked for various offences including “common intention for assault to public servant from discharging duty” based on a complaint filed with Imphal police station by the presiding officer of the New Keithelmanbi polling station, whom the candidate had allegedly assaulted.
The arrest:
He was arrested in the early hours of February 28, while polling was underway and released on bail after midnight.
Haokip’s polling agent Andrew Gangmei, in a letter addressed to Chief Electoral Officer Rajesh Agarwal, claimed that the Congress candidate had rushed to the polling station after receiving complaints of BJP supporters indulging in booth capturing and proxy voting.
He said that this infuriated the candidate’s supporters and a scuffle broke out during which an EVM was damaged. The resulting melee led to polling personnel resorting to firing blank rounds to control the crowd.
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