Unidentified miscreants captured a polling booth in

Rayagada district after more than 15 persons barged into polling booth number 6 at Radhanga village under Bisam Katak block in the district and allegedly thrashed the Presiding Officer and Polling Officers for opposing proxy voting.

A report from Ganjam district said ballot papers were snatched in at least seven booths in Sanakhemundi block.

"We have submitted a report in this regard to the SEC," Election Officer-cum-Block Development Officer, Naresh Chandra Sabara said.

He said around 50 people entered the polling booths and snatched the ballot papers. While some of them tore ballot papers, others forcibly dropped them into the ballot boxes.

In Kendrapara, miscreants snatched ballot papers and tore them in booth no. 17 in Adanga village under Indalo gram panchayat. A group of miscreants barged into the booth and tore the papers, officials said.

The Police later retrieved the mutilated ballot papers. The district election office has been informed about the incident, Kendrapara Additional Superintendent of Police Bikash Chandra Dash said.

In another incident, two persons who had run away with four ballot papers from the Chandol polling booth, were detained, he said.

The Police have registered a case in this connection after the Presiding Officer lodged a complaint, he said.

Kendrapara Collector Muralidhar Mallick said "The administration has apprised the SEC of the post-poll disturbance in Indalo GP."

(This article has not been edited by DNA's editorial team and is auto-generated from an agency feed.)