Poll personnel hurt in lathicharge

Police on Wednesday resorted to lathicharge to disperse a group of poll personnel who blocked a road in Kolkata when the vehicle supposed to take them to their place of posting was late, injuring some of the election officials.

About 200 poll personnel, waiting for a bus to take them to Gosaba and Basanti of South 24 Parganas, blocked the Basanti Road after the vehicle failed to show up even three hours past reporting time.

The agitated poll personnel waiting since 6 am, blocked the road at around 9 am, disrupting peak hour traffic.

The police tried to persuade them to lift the blockade, but when they refused to budge a lathicharge was resorted to. Some of the poll personnel were injured in the police action.

The state election office bus arrived at around 11.30 am and took the poll personnel to their destination.

The poll personnel later lodged a complaint with the returning officer of South 24 Parganas, district administration sources said.