Security beefed up for MM Hills repolling in Chamarajanagar today

NT Correspondent

Mysuru: In the wake of violence that marred the polling on April 26, the Chamarajanagar district administration has made elaborate security arrangements for re-polling on Monday.

Election Commission of India (ECI) on Saturday ordered re-polling in Indignatta tribal hamlet polling booth of Hanur taluk in Chamarajanagar Parliamentary constituency where EVM damage and violence were reported in Friday's polling.

Following this, the Chamarajanagar district administration and the police have made all security preparations for re-polling at the Government Lower Primary School, Indiganatta.

There are 528 voters attached to the polling station. A team of officials comprising Chamarajanagar district social welfare officer Manjula, District tribal welfare officer Naveen Matad, additional superintendent of Police Udesh and MM Hills Police Station officer Shashikumar visited affected tribals of Mendare, Indiganatta on Saturday and Sunday.

They pacified them and encouraged them to take part in the voting on Monday. A peace meeting was held at Mendare, Indignattha village by district and Hanur taluk administration officials to convince voters to take part in the voting process.

Speaking to News Trail, Chamarajanagar Additional Superintendent of Police Udesh said that the district police had provided all security to guard the polling booth.

Fearing police action, a few residents of Indiganatta have left the hamlet. MM Hills have also registered a case against a few villagers of Indignatta who indulged in stone pelting.

On Friday, irate residents of five villages living in the jungles of Male Mahadeshwara Wildlife Sanctuary in Hanur, who boycotted the parliamentary polls, stoned the polling booth and damaged EVMs.

The incident took place when officials led by Hanur tahsildar Guruprasad went to the village to pacify the voters.