MUNICIPAL POLLING PASSES OFF LARGELY PEACEFULLY; MINOR CLASHES REPORTED IN FEROZEPUR, ZIRA

Vikram Ditya Sharma/Ferozepur

Municipal Council elections in Ferozepur City, Zira and Talwandi Bhai witnessed moderate voter turnout as polling overall remained peaceful despite a few isolated incidents. As per official figures, Ferozepur City recorded 56.71 per cent polling, while Talwandi Bhai registered 58.72 per cent and Zira witnessed 58.82 per cent voter turnout.

The voting process began at 8 am with voters queuing up outside polling booths since morning to exercise their franchise. Due to the scorching heat, however, many residents preferred to step out during the evening hours to cast their votes.

A tense situation was witnessed in Ward No. 8 of Basti Tanka Wali in Ferozepur City after some unidentified persons, arriving in two SUVs, allegedly assaulted AAP workers. Police personnel immediately intervened, detained the accused persons and impounded both vehicles.

Another controversy surfaced in Ward No. 26 where an unidentified youth allegedly stamped the ballot paper of an elderly woman voter, leading to heated arguments between rival factions at the polling station.

Meanwhile, in Zira’s Ward No. 9, a dispute over a voter’s identity proof triggered a scuffle in the closing moments of polling. During the altercation, an AAP worker Satish Kumar suffered an injury on his nose. Following the incident, AAP MLA Naresh Kataria reached the spot and shifted the injured worker to hospital.