Mob Violence Disrupts Karnataka Polling Process

On April 27, during the voting process for Karnataka's 14 Lok Sabha seats, an unfortunate incident of violence occurred at a polling booth in Idiginatha village, Hanur taluk of Chamarajanagar. Despite this isolated incident, election officials reported that the overall voting process was largely peaceful.

The trouble began when a mob attacked the polling station, setting an Electronic Voting Machine on fire. The Election Commission revealed that some villagers were preventing voters from entering the booth, leading to a confrontation. Taluka officials intervened, urging voters to cast their ballots.

Efforts to facilitate voting at a nearby tribal settlement, Mandhare, were met with resistance from certain individuals, causing intimidation. Eventually, 20 voters from Mandhare were escorted to the polling booth, with nine managing to cast their votes before chaos erupted.

By 1:50 p.m., the situation escalated as the mob started pelting stones at officials and the polling booth. They vandalized equipment and destroyed an EVM machine, forcing a halt to the polling process. The incident took place in a remote area accessible through the forest of Male Mahadeshwara Hills Forest division.

While the majority of polling stations in Karnataka experienced a peaceful voting day, the unfortunate attack at Idiginatha village serves as a reminder of the challenges faced in ensuring a smooth electoral process. Authorities are investigating the incident and taking necessary steps to prevent such disruptions in the future.