Incidents of firing, intimidation reported from few places in Manipur, no injuries
Imphal, Apr 19: Incidents of intimidation and firing were reported from at least two places in Inner Manipur constituency where voting for the Lok Sabha polls is currently underway, officials said on Friday.
At Thamnapokpi under Moirang constituency in Bishnupur district, armed men fired several rounds in the air near a polling booth prompting voters to flee, police said on Friday, adding additional security personnel were rushed to the spot to contain the situation.
Unidentified armed men also intimidated election agents of a particular political party at different places and asked them to leave the polling stations, they said.
At Uripok and Iroishemba in Imphal West district, armed men asked agents of a party to leave the premises of polling stations, an official said.
"Incensed with the intimidation, voters at Iroishemba forcefully entered polling stations and destroyed elections materials and equipment," the official said.
At Kiyamgei in Imphal East district's Keirao constituency, armed men fired blank shots and intimidated Congress polling agents.
Earlier in the morning, at Khongman Zone 4 in Imphal East district, an altercation broke out between voters and unidentified men leading to damage of EVMs.
Meanwhile, several areas in Kuki-dominated assembly segments in Outer Manipur recorded a thin turnout till 1pm.
Saitu and Saikul constituencies in Kangpokpi district recorded a turnout of 13.22 per cent and 8.58 per cent, respectively, officials said.
Henglep in Churachandpur district recorded the highest turnout in all Kuki-dominated assembly segments with 49 per cent.
Churachandpur assembly segment on the other hand recorded 43.67 per cent turnout.
Chandel constituency, which has both Naga and Kuki voters, recorded a turnout of 68.63 per cent.
Meitei dominated assembly segments in Outer Manipur, however, recorded a slightly higher turnout than Kuki areas.
Khangabok in Thoubal district recorded 52.68 per cent voting, officials said.
Polling is underway in 15 assembly segments of the total 28 constituencies of Outer Manipur on Friday.
Inner Manipur Constituency
— Tamal Saha (@Tamal0401) April 19, 2024
This is what has happened at the polling booth in Moirangkampu Sajeb in #Manipur. Miscreants came and opened firing. One 65 year old man injured and now hospitalised. All election papers burnt down. One evm machine destroyed and set ablaze. Locals say… pic.twitter.com/mpUKEYeCCm
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'Engineered narratives': West Bengal guv on alleged molestation charges against him
Kolkata, May 2: West Bengal Governor C V Ananda Bose on Thursday said he will not be cowed down by “engineered narratives” and the "truth shall triumph” after TMC leaders claimed that a woman working at Raj Bhavan levelled allegations of molestation against him.
In a statement, the Governor said, “Truth shall triumph. I refuse to be cowed down by engineered narratives. If anybody wants some election benefits by maligning me, God bless them. But they cannot stop my fight against corruption and violence in Bengal,”
To the Raj Bhavan staff "who expressed solidarity with him following some derogatory narratives that were circulated by two disgruntled employees as agents of political parties," a communication by Raj Bhawan said.
The Governor’s statement came after senior TMC leaders claimed this evening in a series of social media posts that the woman, who had levelled the allegations, has been taken to a police station to complain against Bose.
Though police sources said they received a verbal complaint, there was no official word on whether a formal complaint had been registered.
“BIG. Bengal governor CV Ananda Bose was accused of molesting a woman. How utterly appalling and Horrifying. Ahead of @narendramodi visit to Kolkata who is supposed to stay overnight at Raj Bhavan, a woman has alleged that she was molested while she went to meet the Governor at Raj Bhavan today. The complainant has been taken to the Hare Street police station for filing a complaint. The woman has accused the Governor of molesting her. Shocking and disgraceful,” TMC Rajya Sabha MP Sagarika Ghose said in a post on X.
Fellow TMC MP Saket Gokhale also posted on his X account regarding the issue.
West Bengal Women and Child Development Minister Shashi Panja said it is “shameful” that the Governor has maligned his post and has used it to “torture a woman”.
“It is appalling and shocking to see such an incident. This is the same Governor who had reached out to Sandeshkhali to talk about women’s rights and Nari Shakti. This is shameful that the Governor sought undue advantages in the pretext of giving her a permanent job. We want Prime Minister Narendra Modi who will be addressing rallies in Bengal tomorrow to react on this issue,” she said.
According to sources in the Governor's House, the "woman employee with the help of her alleged boyfriend who is also an employee of the Raj Bhavan was blocking complaints (from people) being sent to the Election Commission of India.
"When she was reprimanded for that, she went outside and alleged molestation. She is in the habit of throwing tantrums against her colleagues because of some disease," a Raj Bhavan official said.
The West Bengal Governor and the TMC government have shared an acrimonious relationship since he assumed office in November 2022 and had several run-ins on various issues.
The BJP said it has to be seen whether this a “conspiracy by the TMC” or has an “iota of truth in it”.
“We all know that the TMC is politically cornered on the issue of SSC scam and is looking for a breathing space. So this needs to be seen whether this is a conspiracy by the TMC or it has any iota of truth in it,” BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari said.
BIG. Bengal governor CV Ananda Bose accused of molesting a woman. How utterly APPALLING and HORRIFYING. Ahead of @narendramodi visit to Kolkata who is supposed to stay overnight at Raj Bhavan, a woman has alleged that she was molested while she went to meet the Governor at Raj…
— Sagarika Ghose (@sagarikaghose) May 2, 2024
Shameful that a constitutional office holder should try to prejudice an impartial investigation by attacking the motive of the complainant. We have seen this happen in that infamous Saturday Hearing of the Supreme Court. Respect women! https://t.co/E6eJLQvFXO
— sanjoy ghose (@advsanjoy) May 2, 2024
