Violent Clashes Mar Uttarkhand Bypolls

Four people were injured in a clash between rival party supporters at a polling booth in Uttarkhand's Manglaur assembly constituency during Wednesday's bypolls. Manglaur recorded a 56.21% voter turnout while Badrinath registered 40.50%. Police denied reports of firing, but the incident drew sharp criticism from Congress leaders against the BJP.

Amid the ongoing bypolls on Wednesday in Uttarkhand's Manglaur assembly constituency, a clash between supporters of rival parties left four people injured, according to police reports.

Polling took place in both Manglaur and Badrinath, with voter turnout hitting 56.21% and 40.50%, respectively, by mid-afternoon. The BSP's Ubedur Rehman and Congress' Qazi Nizamuddin are contesting in Manglaur, while BJP's Rajendra Bhandari faces Congress newcomer Lakhpat Singh Butola in Badrinath.

The incident in Manglaur drew condemnation from several Congress leaders, including former Chief Minister Harish Rawat and Leader of Opposition Yashpal Arya. They accused the BJP of electoral violence and hindering democratic processes. The district administration and police, however, denied reports of firing at the polling booth. Voting continues until 6 pm, with vote counting scheduled for July 13.

(With inputs from agencies.)