18 dead so far in Indian poll

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 32860, 8 March 1972, Page 17

18 dead so far in Indian poll

(N.Z.P^.-Reuter—Copyright) NEW DELHI, March 7.

India today will enter the third day of week-long polling for elections to 16 of its 21 state assemblies with at least 18 persons killed so far and the promise of more violence to come.

Today's voting takes place in the states of Assam, Bihar and Maharashtra. It will be the first day of polling in Assam, but voters in several Bihar and Maharashtra constituencies went to the polls on Sunday. , At least 17 persons died within 48 hours of the polls opening — nine of them in turbulent West Bengal, where rival supporters of the powerful Marxist Communist Party and the ruling Congress Party have repeatedly clashed with knives, rocks and bombs. And last night, one person was killed and two injured in a bomb-throwing incident in the Bihar town of Sitamarhi after accusations of fraudulent voting. Several Army units and about 80,000 police will be on duty at polling stations in Bihar today in an attempt to curb the widespread violence which marred the first round of voting two days ago. According to official reports, Naga guerrillas killed one person and injured two others when they attacked a reserve police post in the

north-eastern state of Manipur yesterday apparently in a bid to disrupt polling.

Reports were also coming in of another violent incident 20 miles from the Manipui capital of Imphal. But no details were immediately available.

The main question in the

estate elections is whether r Mrs Gandhi’s Congress Party e can extend its powerful grip i on the central government to .1 the state legislatures. In an intensive programme s of electioneering, Mrs Gandhi has argued that the path to I stability and away from povs erty lies in Congress governi rnents, both at the centre and e in the provinces. ■ The first results of the elecy tions, in which about 200 mil- - lion people are expected to d vote, will be declared on Sati. urday night.