7 killed in Manipur poll violence

At least seven people, including civilians, polling officials and an underground NSCN (IM) militant, were killed in poll violence in Manipur's Chandel district on Saturday as the disturbance-hit northeastern state went to polls on Saturday.

Officials said the polling was 82 percent across the state.

"The dead included a CRPF personnel and three civilians, including a woman. The attacker was a Nationalist Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN)´s Isak Muivah ultra," Chandel Superintendent of Police (SP) Priyo Kumar told IBNS.

Later he said two polling officials who were injured also died.

The NSCN man was trying to capture the booth at Tampi with a firearm leading to a crossfire, Kumar said.

The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel, the civilians and the ultra died on the spot.

Three CRPF personnel were injured in the firing that occurred shortly after noon.

Manipur will elect a new 60 member state assembly.

Voters lined up before 2,357 polling stations across the Manipur's nine districts with a collective electorate of 17,40,576, including 8,82,236 women.

This time, for the state's 10th Assembly polls, 279 candidates were in the fray.

A total of 12,967 polling personnel were deployed to conduct the elections which began at 7 am and continued till 4 pm.

About 350 companies of security personnel, including 270 central para military forces, along with 30,000 Manipur Police personnel were deployed.

Three helicopters were also pressed into service to carry out air surveillance in the state which has witnessed five bomb attacks in the last two days.