Several incidents of violence, including gunfire and damaging EVMs, were reported during the first phase of Lok Sabha elections in Manipur on Friday.
A turnout of 69.13 per cent was recorded in the first phase of elections in the state, news agency PTI reported.
There have been at least two incidents of gunfire close to polling stations in the valley, which has been rocked by ethnic violence over the last year.
In one of the incidents, a man was injured following a fire incident at a polling booth in Moirangkampu Sajeb Awang Leikai in Imphal East. Later, the polling station was vandalised and the EVMs were set on fire. The injured man, Khoisnam Sayamaima, 65, has been admitted to the hospital.
In another incident, a group of miscreants fired several rounds near a polling station in Thamanpokpi in Moirang Assembly segment in Bishnupur district. No casualties were reported in the incident. A video of the incident shows people running out of the polling booth amid the sound of gunfire.
Manipur chief electoral officer Pradeep Kumar Jha confirmed that an EVM was damaged in Thongju in Imphal East. There has also been vandalism in at least one more polling station, in Uripok in Imphal West.
He said that they have received complaints from some polling stations in Imphal West of people intimidating voters and agents, and attempting to capture booths.
Manipur went to polls for the Inner and Outer Manipur constituencies on Friday. Elections are scheduled in some areas in Outer Manipur constituency in phase two of the elections on April 26 as well.
