Itanagar, Dec 20: Arunachal Pradesh Police have arrested 17 people, including a gram panchayat member (GPM) candidate, for disrupting panchayat polling at the Besai polling station in Bichom district of Arunachal Pradesh.
“15 arrests were made on Wednesday and two others were detained on the day polling was first held, bringing the total in custody to 17 of the 20 accused, with action pending against the remaining three,” said an police official.
According to reports, the incident took place at the Nisanjang-Besai gram panchayat under the Nedo Zilla parishad constituency, where polling was disrupted on December 15 due to a serious breakdown of law and order.
According to an FIR filed by Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) P Nobin Jomoh, one of the accused, Kalung Besai, allegedly led a mob that attacked the polling team, including the ASP, after they were stopped from attempting to capture the polling station.
The ASP and the presiding officer reportedly suffered injuries during the attack.
Tensions reportedly began when a polling agent tried to cast votes on behalf of others.
The situation worsened as miscreants allegedly cut down trees to block access roads to the polling station, restricting movement.
The State Election Commission later approved the district election officer’s request to adjourn the poll under Rule 45(2) of the Arunachal Pradesh Panchayati Raj (Conduct of Election) Rules, 2001.
A re-poll was conducted peacefully on December 18 at the Government Upper Primary School in Lada (Nedo), the circle office headquarters, starting at 7 am under tight security. No untoward incidents were reported.
Also Read: Meghalaya Govt rolls out major bureaucratic reshuffle, adds key portfolios
Also Watch
Find latest news from every corner of Northeast India at hubnetwork.in, your online source for breaking news, video coverage.
Also, Follow us on-
Twitter-twitter.com/nemediahub
Youtube channel- www.youtube.com/@NortheastMediaHub2020
Instagram- www.instagram.com/ne_media_hub
Download our app from playstore – Northeast Media Hub
