On Friday, in the Moirang Assembly segment in Manipur, a group of miscreants fired multiple rounds in the vicinity of a polling station located in Thamanpokpi. Fortunately, there were no casualties reported as a result of this incident.
The commencement of the Lok Sabha polls on Friday triggered a state of panic among the voters who had patiently queued up to exercise their democratic right. A widely circulated video captures the unsettling scene of individuals hastily fleeing the polling booth amidst the alarming sound of gunshots.
Voting suddenly stopped at two important sites in Imphal—5 Thongju and 31 Khongman Zone. The interruption occurred when a group of women made allegations of irregularities, causing disorder and stopping the voting process. The polling officer present had no choice but to shut down the polling stations due to the escalating circumstances. Onlookers witnessed scenes of disorder and unrest as officials tried to resolve the complaints brought up by the affected voters.
The Inner Manipur Lok Sabha constituency and certain areas of Outer Manipur underwent the electoral process on Friday, under the watchful eye of robust security measures. Over the past year, Manipur has been plagued by inter-ethnic conflicts between the Meiteis, who constitute the majority and reside in the Imphal Valley, and the Kuki-Zo tribal community.
A confrontation ensued between residents and unidentified troublemakers in the Thongju Assembly constituency, which falls under the Inner Manipur Lok Sabha seat. According to PTI, there were also instances of violence at the Iroisemba polling station in Imphal West, where the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) were purportedly damaged. Furthermore, polling had to be halted at the 5 Thongju and 31 Khongman zones in Imphal due to allegations of irregularities raised by certain women, leading to a disturbance.
In the meantime, N Biren Singh, the Chief Minister of Manipur, cast his vote at Luwangsangbam Mamang Leikai and emphasized the importance of citizens exercising their right to vote in order to safeguard the native population of the state and preserve its territorial integrity.
