NCP candidate held in Jaintia Hills
JOWAI: Jowai police on late Monday night arrested NCP candidate for Nartiang -Umladang constituency Moina Sing Phyllut for instigating a mob to damage the Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) and vandalize a polling station set up at Umladang Government LP School building for the JHADC poll.
The incident took place at around 11:30 am when the miscreants, suspected to be supporters of NCP candidate Phyllut, arrived in a truck from Nartiang to Umladang and directly attacked the polling station twice in a gap of 10 minutes.
“Around 50 to 60 people came in a truck (Shaktiman), including some women who were armed with lathis and stones. They rushed to the school where the voting was on,” one of the polling officers, K Dhar, said while narrating the incident to mediapersons.
“Police personnel on duty at the polling station immediately closed the door; but these people smashed the windows and entered inside the room and damaged the EVM and everything inside the school building including tables, benches and books,” the poll officer said.
“The first group left after creating mayhem but about 10 minutes later another group entered the premises and completely destroyed the damaged EVM and furniture, window panes and books inside the school building,” he said.
Since the EVM was completely damaged the voting process has to be stopped at around 12 noon, Dhar said, while adding that he lost his jacket containing Rs.9000 cash, ATM card, PAN Card and ID Card.
“Luckily, the mob spared us,” Dhar said.
The polling officer also lodged a complaint with the Nartiang Police.
Sources from Umladang Village informed that both the groups included NCP supporters. “A woman led the first group while a resident of Nartiang led the second group of attackers,” sources from the village said.
Residents of Umladang village blamed the polling agent of the NCP candidate for instigating the mob. “The polling agent left the polling station without any reason and called his candidate who arrived at the spot 20 minutes later.
“The candidate entered the polling station normally and left. After some time, the mob arrived and destroyed the EVM,” the source said.
West Jaintia Hills Deputy Commissioner also the District Returning Officer, PS Dkhar, informed that the police have immediately begun investigation into the attacks. “The culprits will be punished as per the law,” Dkhar assured.
He also informed that re-polling will be held in Umlang on February 26.
Narrating the sequence of events leading to the attacks, IG Eastern Range A Sunn said that the poll agent of the NCP candidate suspiciously left the polling station at around 9.30 am claiming that he had to attend to some emergencies.
“An hour later the NCP candidate (Phyllut) himself came to the polling station and alleged that his poll agent had been threatened,” the IG informed, adding that after Phyllut left the polling station the mob arrived on the scene and ransacked the polling station.
Meanwhile, Commissioner and Secretary in charge District Council Affairs department, Jopthiaw Lyngdoh, informed that the Presiding Officer of the polling station has lodged a complaint with the Return Officer of West Jaintia Hills District.
The Presiding Officer had also submitted a proposal for re-polling on February 26, Lyngdoh informed.
Interestingly, the house of the polling agent was later stoned by angry residents of Umladang.