Muslim voters who had come to cast their votes in the by-election in Uttarakhand’s Manglaur Vidhan Sabha constituency are reported to have been attacked with guns, swords, and canes. A video showing Muslim voters being attacked and prevented from voting is widely circulating on social media.
However, the police declined to acknowledge that the incident of firing and attacks had occurred within their knowledge.
Congress candidate Qazi Nizamuddin claimed that miscreants engaged in violence and allegedly fired shots near the polling station at Libberheri. He further asserted in a video that he found injured individuals who had not received immediate medical attention. Nizamuddin criticized the lack of police presence, noting the absence of senior officers despite the escalating situation.
Meanwhile, Haridwar Superintendent of Police (Rural) Swapn Kishor, also serving as the election nodal officer, denied reports of gunfire but acknowledged a tense confrontation leading to physical altercations.
Kishor assured that law enforcement had deployed sufficient personnel to manage the situation, which has since calmed down, allowing the voting process to continue without further disruption.
The byelection in Manglaur was prompted by the passing of Bahujan Samaj Party MLA Sarwat Karim Ansari last year. The BSP has fielded Ansari’s son, Ubedur Rehman, as their candidate, facing competition from Congress stalwart Qazi Nizamuddin and BJP’s Kartar Singh Bhadana. Notably, the BJP has never secured victory in Manglaur since Uttarakhand’s inception as a state, adding significance to this electoral contest.
Simultaneously, the election for the Badrinath assembly seat, vacated earlier this year, features a competitive race between Congress’s Lakhpat Butola and BJP’s Rajendra Bhandari, who switched parties after resigning from Congress. Independent candidates, including former CRPF officer Himmat Singh and journalist Naval Khali, also vie for voter support in what promises to be a closely watched contest.