Morung Express News
Dimapur | May 28
Largely peaceful polling in Dimapur to the lone Nagaland Lok Sabha seat on May 28 was marred by a fracas at Purana Bazaar under 3 Dimapur III Assembly Constituency. An EVM unit at Polling Station 35 was damaged and had to be replaced after rival supporters of the NDPP and NPF came to blows.
NPF candidate, Azheto Zhimomi and NDPP candidate, Tokheho Yepthomi were among the contenders during the Nagaland Assembly elections in February from the constituency. Yepthomi lost to Zhimomi to later contest in the bye-election to the vacant Lok Sabha seat against NPF candidate C. Apok Jamir.
The incident happened sometime between 11:00-11:30 am over allegations of proxy voting from both sides. Media persons covering the polling process were told that one polling agent got agitated after reportedly noticing another polling agent taking voters’ slips through the window. The annoyed polling agent was alleged to have punched through the window pane inflicting minor injury to himself, the rival polling agent and a woman, who was standing in queue to vote.
Yepthomi as well as 3 Dimapur III’s incumbent MLA Zhimomi reached the spot to help calm the situation. Commissioner of Police, Dimapur also reached to take stock of the situation.
It could not be ascertained how the EVM was damaged. The police described the episode as a scuffle between supporters and added that one person was summoned to report to the police station in connection to the incident.
The Deputy Commissioner, Dimapur asked of the incident later said that “one ballot unit was tampered” during the fracas. As a result, the DC said that polling was temporarily stopped for around 45 minutes during which a new EVM set was installed. Some 473 votes were said to have been cast at the time of the fracas. Polling resumed without any incidents till closure. In Dimapur district, Doyapur Polling Station was the last to close at around 5:30 pm, it was added.
