Block Pramukh elections: Violence grips Uttar Pradesh on nomination filing day, bombs lobbed, 3 sustain gunshot injuries

In Sitapur, three people received bullet injuries when an independent candidate Munni Devi arrived to file her nomination in Kamlapur. She was prevented from going in and unidentified persons opened fire in the presence of the police. Her supporters created a ruckus and some people lobbed crude bombs. Munni Devi's supporters blocked the highway in protest.

New Delhi: Widespread violence was reported on Thursday (July 8) from various districts, including Siddharthnagar, Sitapur, Gorakhpur, Sambhal during the nomination of papers for the block pramukh elections. The majority of the incidents took place when the opposition candidates were prevented from filing their nomination papers. In Siddharthnagar, former Uttar Pradesh Assembly Speaker, Mata Prasad Pandey was assaulted. In Sitapur, three people received bullet injuries when an independent candidate Munni Devi arrived to file her nomination in Kamlapur. She was prevented from going in and unidentified persons opened fire in the presence of the police. Her supporters created a ruckus and some people lobbed crude bombs. Munni Devi's supporters blocked the highway in protest. In Ambedkar Nagar, some miscreants snatched the nomination papers form the hands of former BSP minister Lalji Varma leading to violent clashes. "It is BJP leader Tejaswi Jaiswal who snatched the papers which led to tension and clashes," said Varma.