SHILLONG, Feb 28: Polling agents of Generous Paslein, independent candidate from Nartiang, were allegedly attacked by NPP supporters on the day of polling.
One of the polling agents, Tourky Nongrum, on Tuesday said that he along with two more agents were in a vehicle heading towards Maya Club A polling station at Wahiajer on Monday evening but NPP supporters led by one Kyrshan Dhar allegedly intercepted his vehicle on the way and asked them to get off the vehicle.
“Out of fear, we remained in the vehicle since they were carrying sticks with the intention to hurt. The NPP supporters then started to hit my vehicle with the sticks. The bumper of my vehicle was damaged and there were scratches in the body,” Nongrum said.
According to him, they were lucky that they escaped unscathed.
“We managed to go to the polling station after security was provided to us during the polling,” Nongrum said.
Fearing for their lives, the agents have not come out of their houses since Monday.
“We will be filing an FIR before Ummulong police station on Wednesday. We will request the district authorities to take measures of our security,” Nongrum said.
When contacted, West Jaintia Hills Deputy Commissioner BS Sohliya said that he was aware of this incident.
“We had immediately provided security to these polling agents after the incident was reported,” Sohliya said.
According to him, he has also been briefed by the Superintendent of Police, Bikram Marak.
The Deputy Commissioner also assured that they will immediately act if there is an official complaint or FIR from these polling agents.
Meanwhile, it has been reported that the NPP supporters had also prevented some of the polling agents of Congress to go to the polling stations at Wahiajer.