Manipur Congress candidate arrested for attacking election workers, released later

A Congress candidate was arrested and later released on bail for allegedly assaulting an on-duty polling personnel during the first phase of Manipur Assembly elections. Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh termed the action by Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh against party candidate Lamtinthang Haokip in Saitu constituency of Kangpokpi district as a “murder of democracy”.

Haokip was booked for various offenses including “general intent to attack public servant by discharge of duty” on the basis of a complaint filed by the presiding officer of New Keithelmanbi polling station at Imphal police station, on which the candidate alleged was vehemently attacked. He was arrested on Monday morning when polling was going on and was released on bail after midnight.

HAOKIP’s polling agent Andrew Gangmei, in a letter to Chief Electoral Officer Rajesh Agarwal, claimed that the Congress candidates had reached the polling booth after BJP supporters received complaints about their involvement in booth capturing and proxy voting. “He requested the polling officer to ensure that people are allowed to vote according to their conscience and choice, but they retaliated in a very indecent manner,” he said. He said that this angered the supporters of the candidate and during this a scuffle broke out between them. In which one EVM was damaged. As a result of the scuffle, polling personnel resorted to blank rounds of fire to control the crowd. Gangmei claimed that the presiding officer had filed the complaint at the behest of the BJP candidate.