54.06pc polling by 5 pm in Bihar

The third and final phase of elections to the Bihar Assembly was by and large peaceful, with the Election Commission of India (ECI) registering 54.06 per cent polling in 78 constituencies in 15 districts till 5 pm on Saturday.

While a younger brother of an RJD supporter was gunned down by unidentified assailants in Purnea district, some violence was reported in Katihar district as well.

Muslim-dominated Kishanganj witnessed 59.77 per cent polling, Supaul 57.90, Saharsa 55.73, and Purnea 55.63.

Other districts like East Champaran has registered polling percentage of 54.78, Sitamarhi 52.27, Araria 50.90, Madhepura 54.03, Muzaffarpur 54.54, Darbhanga 55.03, Samastipur 52.76 and Vaishali 49.97 till 5 pm.

Violence was reported in Katihar district while polling was underway. Men of the paramilitary forces lathicharged a crowd at booth number 86 in Kodha Assembly constituency after voters turned in large numbers to vote.

According to officials, some antisocial elements mingled with the voters to create a ruckus, leading to chaos at the polling booth. As the situation got out of control, paramilitary forces baton-charged the crowd to disperse it. Two persons were injured in the melee. They were discharged after preliminary treatment at an area hospital.

Earlier in the day, Beni Singh, the younger brother of RJD supporter Bittu Singh, was gunned down in Damdaha Assembly constituency in Purnea district by unidentified assailants, police said.

Deceased Beni Singh was moving from booth to booth in the constituency while polling was on in the third and final phase of Bihar Assembly elections during the day.

As he came out of a polling booth in Sarsi village, three to four assailants fired at him indiscriminately, killing him on the spot.