PUSU polls: Two groups of students exchange fire

Two groups of students exchanged gunfire during the elections for Patna University Students’ Union that took place on Saturday, police said.

However, no one was injured in the firing.

The incident took place in the premises of Patna College around 1.45 pm when the voting was underway.

Deputy superintendent of police (Town) Ashok Kumar Singh, however, said the firing incident occurred outside the college premises after the election process concluded. “Supporters of contestants were shouting slogans outside and were about to get into a fight. A police team reached and controlled the situation. Voting was going on inside. There was no disorder there,” he said.

The officer said no arrest had been made so far and the police were investigating.

The polling was held from 8am to 2 pm and the ballot boxes were sealed in the presence of candidates.

The counting of votes started from 4pm and election results are likely to be announced late Saturday night.

More than 24,000 students are electing five key office-bearers and 28 council members of the union.

Altogether 36 candidates are in the fray, including for the posts of president, vice-president, general secretary, joint secretary and treasurer.

The polling was held at 51 booths located in 14 different colleges under tight security arrangements.

At every polling booth, one magistrate, accompanied by four police persons, were deployed to ensure peaceful polling.