Our Bureau /

Ritu Raj Singh, a youth voter who is also president of Railway colony Durga puja samitee, became so excited during the urban local body (ULB) election at a polling booth at Sikendarpur locality in this city today that he shouted “Pakistan Jindabad”!

According to police the youth actually wanted to air “Pakistan Murdabad” during a hot brief alteration with his opponent. But slip of tong in the climax of the dispute, the youth shouted “Pakistan Jindabad”.

The moment the youth delivered the slogan, the mob along the voters even also his own friends for whom he was fighting, turned his enemy and beaten him black and blue on the spot. Later he was handed over to police and also reportedly beaten by the police. However, with the intervention of senior cops, the youth was set free.

SDO, Naugachia, Aditya Prakesh who sustained injury in brick batting today.

Over enthusiasm which prevailed in ULB election today finally transformed into group clash, rigging, firing and other petty criminal practices, otherwise common feature of this land. Sub divisional officer, Naugachia sub division in Bhagalpur, Aditya Prakesh sustained injury during a brick batting incident by unruly mob at polling booth No 2 of ward No 3 there. The EVM machine was smashed by the mob there. The polling of the booth was however cancelled and recommended for re-polling, the injured SDO told media persons at Naugachia.

The damaged EVM machine at a poling booth by unruly mob.

News of firing was reported from Sharsa while 4 polling agents at Munger along with 12 persons at Jamui were arrested by the police today for creating nuisances during the polls.

Scorching Sun prevented many voters to go for polling rather they preferred to keep themselves indoors at Bhagalpur one of the interesting battle ground of ballots.

Candidates who jumped inside the poll arena were excited lots. Actually, after selection of Bhagalpur into Smart City category by union urban development ministry, heavy flowing of funds became the center of attraction. “I left my career in the midway and came here for social service,” said a candidate contesting for the post of ward councilor at Bhagalpur. The candidate, a young pretty looking girl, yet not have any such experience of social services but she remained fierce in her campaigning trails.

“Though the mayor or any ward councilor don’t have any role to play in the decision making for smart city plan but I don’t know how many contestants this time developed such rubbish ideas to poke their nosed in Smart City affairs while after winning the seats,” commented a senior official at Bhagalpur Municipal Corporation.

However for the first time the State Election Commission (SEC), put on display information about candidates, including their educational qualification, criminal history, if any, and assets, through banners and posters at ten different places in every ward from where they were contesting election. “This is a good work, I went to poll for a particular candidate from my ward but such display made me cautious about my choice. As I found some criminal antecedents of that very candidate, I immediately preferred for the second option,” said Badrinarayan, a voter at Budhnath locality in the city today.