One killed in police firing in Guntur dt.

By Our Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD, JULY 12. One person was killed when the police opened fire to separate two groups of clashing Telugu Desam and Congress workers at Ravvavaram village of Nujendla mandal of Guntur district on Thursday during the first phase of panchayat elections to elect 11 Zilla Parishad and 550 mandal presidents. Otherwise, polling was by and large peaceful.

An interesting aspect was that the turnout was more in the areas in north Telangana districts where the People's War Group presence was strong, despite a boycott call given by it. There was a lot of enthusiasm among voters and there were long queues before the polling booths since early morning all over the State.

The police said that they opened three rounds of fire in the air to disperse warring TDP and Congress workers at Kambapadu village of Macherla mandal in Guntur district. A mobile police party opened fire in the air to disperse a mob trying to snatch ballot boxes in Chittoor district. In Kalkada village in East Godavari, a reserve Inspector of Police, Mr. Chandramouli, was injured when he was dispersing TDP and Congress workers throwing stones at each other. Congress spokespersons alleged that Ministers and MLAs freely indulged in rigging in the elections, a view endorsed by the CPI. Telugu Desam spokespersons strongly criticised the Congress leaders for making ``baseless allegations'' against IAS and IPS officials. The Collector of East Godavari district, Mr. Satish Chandra, held a press conference to assert that he was deeply pained by the complaint of the APCC president, Mr. M.Sathyanarayana Rao, that the official was calling Congress workers and intimidating them to work for the TDP. ``My administration is transparent and such comment by leaders will demoralise the administration,'' the official said.

The campaign for Sunday's second and final phase of election also ended tonight. Counting of votes will be on July 17.

The police said that mobile checkposts were checking vehicles carrying weapons such as bombs. Several unsocial elements were rounded up and produced before Magistrates, the police said.

Talking to presspersons, the State Election Commissioner, Mr. K. Madhava Rao, said that the polling percentage was 65.45. Srikakulam district topped with 72 per cent followed by West Godavari with 69 per cent. Warangal and Visakhapatnam remained at the bottom with 60 per cent each.

Mr. Madhava Rao hinted at repoll in 31 polling stations on Saturday as complaints of irregularities were brought to the notice of the commission by election officials. Of them, eight booths were in Guntur district, six in Mahabubnagar, five in Chittoor, four each in Ranga Reddy and Nellore, and two each in Warangal and Visakhapatnam.

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Section  : Southern States
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