Nagpur: Congress workers attack car transporting EVM over protocol violation

Nagpur, Nov 21 (PTI) Congress workers ransacked a car transporting an Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) to a strong room in Nagpur after polling concluded for the Maharashtra assembly elections, police said.

The police clarified that the EVM in question, which escaped damage in the attack, was not used in polling and it was kept on standby.

The incident took place in the Killa area of Central Nagpur constituency on Wednesday when polling officials were transporting the EVM from booth number 268 to the designated strong room in a car.

Workers of the opposition Congress claimed the EVM was being taken to a photocopy shop to print a document and they started questioning poll party officials over violation of protocols in handling the machines.

According to the police, the vehicle was intercepted by a group of individuals, who raised concerns that EVM protocols were being violated. Tensions escalated when Congress workers began pelting stones at the car.

Reports suggested officials inside the car were physically attacked, but this was not confirmed by the police.

Residents of the area quickly alerted the police, prompting a swift response.

A team from the Kotwali police station rushed to the scene, and secured both the EVM and the officials in the car.

The vehicle, along with the EVM, was later escorted to the Kotwali police station for further investigation.

Senior police officials said they were looking into the matter, and an offence will be registered based on their findings.

Meanwhile, senior leaders from both the BJP and the Congress rushed to the Kotwali police station, where they engaged in a heated argument over the incident.

Elections to the 288-member state assembly were held on Wednesday. PTI