Violence rocks Majitha, Pathankot during civic body elections

Majitha: Tension flared in parts of Punjab during Tuesday's civic body elections, with violent incidents reported from Majitha and Pathankot, even as polling elsewhere largely remained peaceful.In Majitha, an MA student, Tajinderpal Singh Mann, was allegedly assaulted outside a polling booth during clashes, with his head injured and turban forcibly removed. SAD leader Bikramjit Majithia shared videos on X, accusing the state government of using intimidation and administrative pressure to influence the Majitha municipal council polls."When a Sikh youth is stripped of his turban and forced to seek justice with folded hands, it shows rule of law has given way to goondaism," Majithia alleged.Police resorted to a mild lathicharge to disperse the crowd. Majithia claimed an AAP leader initiated the attack, calling it an affront to Sikh identity. He later helped restore the youth's turban and ensured his admission to Sri Guru Nanak Dev Hospital, Amritsar.Majithia also alleged that police stopped his vehicle at a distance from the polling booth, forcing him and his wife, MLA Ganieve Kaur Majithia, to walk. He further objected to the presence of alleged AAP supporters near the booth, accusing them of influencing voters.AAP Majitha in-charge Talbir Singh Gill dismissed the allegations, claiming he reached the spot after receiving information about Majithia arriving with supporters. He alleged that SAD workers themselves triggered the clash, manhandled an AAP worker, and caused the youth's injury.Meanwhile, in Pathankot, a dispute broke out at Polling Booth No. 87 in Ward 32 after a voter, Sanjay Puri, alleged misconduct by polling staff and police. He claimed ink was not applied to his finger after voting and that he was manhandled when he raised the issue, leading to brief tension outside the booth.Police denied the allegations, stating Puri had initially refused ink on medical grounds and later created a disturbance upon returning to the polling station. They maintained that no physical altercation took place.