Polling agent killed in clash, 25% turnout in Haryana

Barring stray incidents of poll violence, which claimed the life of a polling agent, Haryana recorded a turnout of over 25 per cent till noon today.

A polling agent was killed in a clash between supporters of Congress candidate Dillu Ram and Independent aspirant Kulwant Bazigar in Gulha assembly constituency in Kaithal district, a police official said.

The 48-year-old deceased, Jyoti Ram, was Bazigar's polling agent. In another incident, one person was injured in Ambala City in a clash  between supporters of an Independent candidate and those of the Shiromani Akali Dal nominee.

In the clash, election agent of Independent candidate from Ambala City, Virender Singh Azad was injured. He was taken to Ambala city civil hospital, police said. The SAD supporters were led by former INLD MLA, Jasbir Singh Malour, whose wife Charanjit Kaur is contesting from Ambala city as a SAD nominee, they said.

Yet another incident of group clash and firing took place in Nemkhera village in Mewat district. "But, the place of occurrence was far away from any polling booth," Chief Electoral Officer Sajjan Singh said.

Out of over 1.31 crore eligible voters, including 59 lakh women, over 25 per cent have exercised their franchise till noon, an Election Department official said.

As many as 13,524 polling stations have been set up across the state and among them 3,214 are marked vulnerable.