Peaceful polling in South Karnataka turns violent, angry villagers destroy EVMs, polling booth

BENGALURU: Peaceful polling across South Karnataka districts was marred by a violent incident on Friday afternoon at a remote hamlet in MM Hills of Hanur taluk in Chamarajanagar district. Angered over the taluk administration's repeated efforts to convince the protesting villagers to withdraw their poll boycott call, the villagers resorted to stone-pelting, vandalized the polling material, and equipment by barging into the polling booth.


Demanding infrastructure and civic amenities for their hamlet under the limits of Male Mahadeshwara Hills (MM Hills) Gram Panchayat, villagers of Indiganatha had announced their intention to boycott the polls. Alerted by the villagers’ decision, Hanur Tahsildar Guruprasad, Taluk Panchayat Executive Officer Umesh, and Police Inspector Jagadish visited the village and tried to convince the protesting villagers to withdraw their strike and turn up for polling.


Convinced by the officials’ request to take part in polling, a few villagers turned up at the polling booth, according to officials of Hanur Taluk Panchayat. However, another faction in the village opposed the villagers’ move and resorted to heated arguments. Angered over the officials' repeated efforts to convince the villagers despite communicating their decision to the police officials previously, the faction opposed the administration’s move and resorted to stone-pelting.

Even as the police officials resorted to a mild lathi charge to disperse the stone-pelting crowd, a few of the villagers barged into the polling station at the government primary school and destroyed the school furniture. The angry mob also destroyed EVMs, poll materials, and other equipment that were installed at the school for conducting polling. Sources revealed that a few women who were caught in the scuffle and stone peltings sustained injuries to the head and were administered first aid.

Surrounded by forest and MM Hills Wildlife Sanctuary, Indiganatha and other villages have lacked basic amenities and transport facilities for several years. The village has limited access and has a steady population of small, marginal farmers, and tribals who are largely dependent on forest produce for livelihood. In the absence of regular transport services, proper roads, and electricity, the villagers struggle to reach the nearby towns for work or medical emergencies.