Imphal: Polling in Manipur was marred by the death of seven people including a CRPF jawan on Saturday in the Chandel district in a reported a booth capturing attempt allegedly by a cadre of the banned Naga insurgent outfit NSCN (IM). But the overall threat of violence did not stop people from coming out all day to cast their vote.A group of armed militants tried to capture a polling booth in remote Chakpi Karong village in the Chandel district but were thwarted by security personnel who resorted to firing. A Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel was killed and four others were seriously injured in the ensuing gun battle.
The injured, who included a suspected Naga militant and a woman, succumbed on way to the hospital. Barring the militant, the other three were polling officials deployed at the booth.
Polling started at 7 am and continued peacefully till noon with people turning out in huge numbers to elect a 60-member assembly despite a string of bomb blasts during the past one week.
In Tipaimukh constituency, a minor incident of violence was recorded when some irate electors damaged an electronic voting machine at a polling booth. This led to security personnel opening fire but no one was injured.
Voting took place amid tight security at 2,357 polling booths, of which 875 were termed hyper-sensitive.
However, the threat of violence loomed large over polls in Manipur, and that meant all polling booths were heavily fortified for the elections. But the threat of violence, did not stop Chief Minister and Congress leader Ibobi Singh from being one of the early birds at his polling booth in the Thoubal district.
Mr Ibobi is hoping to lead his party to a record third consecutive term in Manipur.
"It is in the hands of the voters. We hope we will win," said Mr Singh.
For the voters in Manipur though the biggest question, irrespective of who wins, will be if the new government can make things betterin this strife torn north eastern state.
The state election office said that although the polling was supposed to end at 3 pm, they would wait till those already in queues outside the booths had cast their votes.
