Tension in Mariani as pre-poll violence leaves 5 injured; admin vows peaceful voting

Jorhat, May 1: Violence erupted in the Mariani area of Jorhat district on Wednesday night, casting a shadow over polling preparations ahead of the first phase of the panchayat elections.

The incident, which took place in Vijaypur under Mulagavuru Panchayat, left five BJP supporters—including a 65-year-old—seriously injured.

The victims have been identified as Moina Bania (65), Ratul Bania (49), Jamuna Bania (29), Sadhan Bania (22), and Nayantara Bania (13).

All were attacked by miscreants while returning home from an election banquet organised by a BJP-backed regional panchayat candidate. They were rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment.

According to eyewitnesses, the assailants targeted Ratul’s family in what is suspected to be a politically motivated assault.

“Only because I attended the BJP meeting, people from the opposition party attacked me. I don’t know which party it was, but I know it wasn’t ours,” said one of the injured victims.

The attack triggered unrest in the area. A heavy contingent of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel, along with local police, was deployed to restore calm.

Security forces have since been stationed at key points across Mariani to prevent further escalation.

Despite the flare-up, the Jorhat district administration has assured that all arrangements are in place to ensure peaceful polling.

Speaking to the media, District Commissioner Jai Shivani said, “There are 923 polling stations in Jorhat district. Of these, 879 will be manned by male personnel and 44 by women. Polling will be supervised by sector officers in coordination with police sector officers.”

Interestingly, none of the polling stations in Jorhat have been classified as sensitive or very sensitive this year.

However, authorities are not leaving anything to chance, deploying additional security forces across all booths.

Polling in this election will be conducted using ballot papers. Voters will receive three colour-coded ballots - blue for Zilla Parishad members, orange for Regional Panchayat members, and white for Ward members.

Officials noted a positive shift in the election atmosphere, with a significant number of younger candidates contesting this year. “This is a good sign for democracy,” remarked one election official.

The Titabar sub-division is also gearing up for polling under separate administrative supervision.

“As a precautionary measure, each Zilla Parishad has been assigned a dedicated sector officer. Even though there are no critical polling stations, we are ensuring security and preparedness at every level,” added DC Shivani.

While the violence in Mariani has sparked concern, the administration remains hopeful that polling on May 2 will proceed peacefully across Upper Assam.