Telangana Elections 2018: Stray Incidents Of Violence Reported

Hyderabad: Reports alleging violence were filed hours before polling began at 7 am on Friday. Two Congress candidates from Tandur and Kalwakurthy were attacked by their rivals leaving the latter getting admitted to the hospital.

Police registered cases in both the incidents and Vamshi Chand Reddy has been admitted to the Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences for treatment.

Congress candidate from Tandur Pilot Rohit Reddy and four others were attacked with sticks at a farmhouse on the Kodangal road near a railway underbridge. The cars of the party workers parked at the farmhouse were also damaged by unidentified persons in the attack at about 3 am. The attackers are said to have threatened Rohit Reddy and his supporters with swords and later filed a complaint with the Tandur police alleging an attack by the supporters of the Telangana Rashtra Samiti. Rohit Reddy pleaded that action be taken against them. In the attack he suffered minor injuries. A case was filed by the Tandur police over the alleged attack.

In another instance Vamshi Chand Reddy the Congress candidate from Kalwakurthy was attacked at Jangareddypally in Amangal mandal of Nagarkurnool district. It is alleged that the attack was perpetrated by supporters of a rival political party. This attack happened while Vamshi Chand Reddy visited a polling booth. Unidentified persons pelted stones at him and injured him, and also damaged his car by breaking the windows.

An injured Vamshi Chand Reddy was treated at a primary health centre at Amangal and then was shifted to NIMS in Hyderabad for treatment. He filed a complaint to the police about the incident.

In another incident a polling official was attacked by the locals for allegedly making an elderly woman cast her vote against her will at booth no. 139 . This incident took place in Vellatur village of Suryapet district.

In Utnoor, Kodangal, Malkajgiri, Kukatpally and Jangaon, and several constituencies in the city, the public who, turned up to vote staged protests and expressed dissatisfaction over their names going missing from the rolls, many of them having voted in previous elections.

Congress leader K.S. Ratnam the party’s candidate from the Chevella constituency alleged an attack on him at Ellakonda in Chevella, and that his car was damaged in the attack. Speaking to the media, Director General of Police M. Mahendar Reddy said, “Polling concluded peacefully amidst high security including in the 13 Maoist-affected constituencies. The EVM machines will be moved to strong rooms under high security and will be kept there till counting day. The public has extended great support to ensure peaceful elections.”

“There were a few minor incidents but no major incident of violence has taken place. In all the incidents that were reported to the police, an inquiry is on to take necessary action.” said another senior police official.

Asifabad, Mulugu, Manthani, Bhupalpally, Sirpur Kagaznagar, Chennur, Bellampally, Yellandu, Kothagudem, Pinapaka, Mancherial, Aswarraopet and Bhadrachalam--the 13 Maoist-affected constituencies, voters who were in the queue before 4 pm were allowed to cast their vote. The Election Commission has issued orders that in the Maoist affected booths the voting procedure is to be completed by 4 pm.

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