J&K elections: BJP's Hina Bhat slaps polling officer, another candidate thrashes voter

Srinagar: BJP candidate from Jammu & Kashmir's Shopian constituency Javed Ahmad Qadri on Sunday allegedly thrashed a voter inside a polling station.

Qadri thrashed an unidentified man in presence of the polling staff inside the polling station at Moochwad in south Kashmir Shopian district claiming that he had entered the booth without the vote slip. Speaking about the incident, Qadri accused the PDP and NC workers of committing malpractices in the elections.

"The workers of the PDP and National Conference have been doing this for the last 60 years," he alleged.

District Election Officer of Shopian Bashir Ahmad Bhat said the incident had not yet come to his notice. "If such a thing has happened, action under law will be taken against him," Bhat said.

In another incident, BJP candidate from Amirakadal Hina Bhat entered into a heated argument with polling staff at a polling station in Chanapora area of the constituency.

Eyewitnesses claimed that Bhat slapped a polling official.

However, District Election Officer, Srinagar, Farooq Ahmad Bhat said, "There was an altercation between the candidate and some polling staff but the issue has been resolved and the candidate has left the polling station."

On the reported clashes between National Conference and Lok Janshakti Party supporters in Habbakadal constituency in the city, Shah said it was not a major incident.

"Heated arguments do take place but there was no law and order problem. Voting across the district is going on smoothly," he added.

(With inputs from PTI)