Maharashtra polls: Congress workers attack car transporting EVM after polling in Nagpur

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Congress workers allegedly ransacked a car that was transporting an Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) to the strong room in Nagpur after polling concluded for the Maharashtra Assembly election 2024 on Wednesday evening, the police said, reported the PTI.

The police, however, clarified the EVM in question, which escaped damage in the attack, was not used in polling and it was kept on standby.

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According to the PTI, the incident took place in the Killa area of the Central Nagpur constituency when polling officials were transporting the EVM from booth number 268 to the designated strong room in a car.

Workers of the opposition party claimed the EVM was being taken to a photocopy shop to print a document and they started questioning poll party officials over violation of protocols in handling the machines.

The police said that the vehicle was intercepted by a group of individuals, who raised concerns that EVM protocols were being violated. Tensions escalated when Congress workers began pelting stones at the car.

Reports suggested officials inside the car were physically attacked, but this was not confirmed by the police.

Residents of the area quickly alerted the police, prompting a swift response. A team from the Kotwali police station rushed to the scene, and secured both the EVM and the officials.

The vehicle, along with the EVM, was later escorted to the Kotwali police station for further investigation.

Senior police officials said they were looking into the matter, and an offence will be registered based on their findings.

Political leaders from both the BJP and the Congress rushed to the Kotwali police station, where they engaged in a heated argument over the incident.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra recorded an estimated 60 per cent turnout in elections to 288 assembly seats on Wednesday with Naxal-hit Gadchiroli district coming on top with 69.63 per cent polling, while Mumbai City finished at bottom with 49 per cent voting, poll officials said.

Voting was held amid sporadic violence as political heavyweights, Bollywood celebrities and business leaders lined up with common citizens to exercise their franchise.

The turnout figures are provisional, they said, adding 61.74 per cent polling was recorded in the 2019 assembly elections.

Electoral fate of 4,136 candidates, including 2,086 independents, were locked in EVMs across 288 seats in the state, where the ruling Mahayuti alliance is vying to retain power, while the opposition bloc Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) is hoping for a comeback after losing office in June 2022.

Votes will be counted on November 23.

(with PTI inputs)