More deaths in Bihar, two ministers held

After the mayhem that erupted in Bihar in the first phase of polling in the state on September 18 when 38 people were killed, the elections held in 19 Lok Sabha constituencies today went off with relatively less violence. The state administration, Election officials and Central forces were on the alert to prevent a repeat of the last phase.

Polling in UP was largely peaceful, according to Chief Election Commissioner M S Gill, except for some incidents of violence in Muzzafarnagar. Repolling would be ordered in some 10 polling stations after the formal report of the returning officer is received.

A 51.1 per centvoter turnout, lower than that seen in the earlier three phases, was the net result in the 74 Lok Sabha constituencies spread over 9 states that went to the polls today.

Bihar and Orissa with 55 per cent, Manipur with 53 and Himachal Pradesh with 52 per cent voter turnout were among the top scorers. UP, where voting took place in 24 Parliamentary constituencies, registered a voter turnout of 50 per cent.

Police firing claimed the lives of four persons, two each in Nalanda and Barh constituencies of Bihar, contested by Samata leaders George Fernandes and Nitish Kumar respectively. According to Gill, the firing took place some distance away from the polling stations during clashes between rival party supporters. Another person was killed in Siwan, also in Bihar.

Some 800 people, including Bihar ministers Shyam Bihar Prasad and Shiv Shankar Yadav, were arrested on charges of attempting to disrupt the poll. Yadav was arrested after arms and ammunition were recovered found in his vehicle.

The BJP candidatefor Patna, C P Thakur was detained, and later released, after he tried to snatch ballot papers and take them out of the polling station. An additional district magistrate is inquiring into the incident.Heavy rains prevented polling in about 60 polling stations in Balia, Begusarai, Munger and Arah constituencies of Bihar.

In UP, a magistrate and three policemen were among those injured when violence erupted in Muzzafarnagar and Meerut Lok Sabha constituencies. A sub-inspector of police was suspended for mishandling the situation. Sporadic clashes apart, polling was peaceful and uneventful.

Notable contests in the state include Samajwadi Party president Mulayam Singh Yadav from Sambhal, veteran Congress leader Narain Dutt Tiwari from Nainital, Union Agriculture Minister Sompal and Rashtriya Lok Dal chief Ajit Singh from Baghpat and Union Social Justice Minister Maneka Gandhi from Pilibhit.

In Madhya Pradesh, there were reports of Naxalites looting poll materials and setting it afire. The poll boycott callgiven by the Naxalite groups also had some effect in the 12 Lok Sabha constituencies that went to the polls in the state.