Police personnel stand on guard during the third phase of panchayat polls in Gaya on Wednesday. Picture by Suman

Patna, April 27: The third phase of the panchayat elections in Bihar concluded amid police firing, snatching of ballot papers, booth capture and intimidation to voters.

A polling personnel died of cardiac arrest, on-duty, in Bhojpur district on Wednesday. However, there was no report of any casualty in the police firing.

An estimated 60.53 per cent voters exercised their franchise, which is an all-time high in the three phases of the elections held on April 20, 24 and 27 respectively. Kishanganj recorded the highest voters’ turnout with 74 per cent of voters casting their votes, while Sheikhpura recorded the lowest turnout with 51.5 per cent polling recorded there.

According to Election Commission sources, the police opened fire to disperse violent mobs at two different places in the Vaishali district. Several policemen were injured in stone pelting and firing by criminals.

A chowkidar was seriously injured in the firing by criminals at polling station numbers 89, 90 and 91 at Rikhar village under Lalganj block in Vaishali district.

Another person sustained bullet injuries in the firing by the supporters of rival candidates at the village. One Bablu Paswan was arrested from the spot and seal and cash were recovered from his possession. A mukhiya candidate was arrested on the charge of attempting to create disturbances at polling station number 105 under Lalganj block in the Vaishali district.

State election commissioner J.K. Dutta said there was no report of any major incident of violence during the third phase. He said one policeman was injured in stone pelting by a violent mob at polling station numbers 43 and 44 at Khutauna village in Madhubani district. They were protesting against discrepancies in the voters’ list.

Similarly, criminals took away ballot boxes from polling station numbers 165 and threw them into a pond under Lalganj block in Vaishali district. “The commission has received information about the death of a polling personnel, Arun Kumar Sinha, due to cardiac arrest at Charpokhri in Bhojpur district,” Dutta said, adding that a patrolling magistrate, Avinash Kumar Sinha, was immediately removed from duty after he was found in an inebriated condition. There was report of clash between polling personnel and a group of voters at polling station number 100 at Keoti in Darbhanga district.

Director-general of police Neel Mani said altogether 887 people were arrested and 219 vehicles seized from different places. The security men also seized Rs 2.61 lakh, 48 litres of liquor and 10 cellphones during the polling, he added.

The commission has ordered the suspension of two panchayat sachivs deputed under Lalganj block in Vaishali district on the charge of dereliction of duty.

Block development officer of Roh, Nesar Ahmad, has been transferred and disciplinary action has been recommended against him for violating the order of the Patna High Court, the election commissioner said. He said the commission has asked the district magistrate of Gaya to lodge an FIR against the block development officer-cum-returning officer of Bodhgaya (Tekari).

Similarly, disciplinary action has been recommended against Birendra Nath Mishra, block education extension officer, Bairgania (Sitamarhi), for non-cooperation during the election.

Dutta reiterated that all the district magistrates and the superintendents have been directed to lodge FIRs and submit chargesheets within a week against those arrested on the charges of intimidation and making attempts to vitiate the poll process.