Youth held for damaging EVM, VVPAT during polling in Alangudi

While the polling was in progress at the Alangudi Panchayat Union Primary School booth (no 54), Anandan (45), a resident from the same area who has been working as a driver in Tirupur came in an inebriated condition and picked up a quarrel with the police personnel Ramasamy and Ilayaperumal. Soon the police personnel passed on the information to the Aranthangi Inspector who came to the spot and sent away Anandan after a warning. However, around 3.30 pm, Anandan made his way to the booth and reportedly hit the EVM and the VVPAT with an aruval under his possession. Soon the police on duty secured him and took him under their custody while the polling was put off. On information, the Returning Officer Ananda Mohan rushed to the spot and conducted an inquiry and inspected the machines. During their inspection, there were 491 votes casted and the machines were replaced and the polling continued after an hour. Meanwhile, the police who took custody of Anandan arrested him after a complaint by the polling officials from the booth.

Meanwhile, the EVMs were locked in the strong rooms located at the respective counting centres in the presence of the representatives from various political parties late on Tuesday.

According to officials, there are four counting centres in Tiruchy revenue district- while the EVMs from Manapparai, Srirangam and Tiruverumbur segments are kept at the Saranathan Engineering College, at Panchapur in Tiruchy, the segments Tiruchy West and East machines are kept at Jamal Mohammed College, while Thuraiyur and Musiri segment machines are kept at Thuraiyur Imayam College and the Lalgudi and Mannachanallur segment machines are kept at K Ramakrishna Engineering College. The strong rooms in these centres were given four tier security while the district election officer and Collector S Divyadharshini and other officials monitored the sealing of these rooms in the presence of the various political party representatives.

Similarly, the machines were kept at the respective counting centres across the region.