Election for Punjab’s Beas seat postponed after violence

Chandigarh — The Election Commission Thursday postponed polling in the Beas assembly constituency to March 11 following violent incidents last week that left one person dead.

Elections to the Punjab assembly are scheduled for Feb 13.

An Election Commission spokesman said here that the poll had been postponed after “the state government and the Punjab police failed to create a peaceful environment conducive to the conduct of a peaceful, free and fair election there”.

Congress activists led by sitting legislator Jasbir Singh Dimpa of the ruling Congress party had allegedly opened fire on protesters of the Shiromani Akali Dal last week, resulting in the death of a youth, Dilbagh Singh.

Police registered a case against Dimpa’s brother Rajan Gill but failed to arrest him. He has since gone underground.

Tension still prevails in the constituency.

The Shiromani Akali Dal leader Sukhbir Singh Badal had released video footage of the clash in which Dimpa’s brothers were reportedly seen firing from AK-47 assault rifles at the Akalis.

The weapon is a prohibited one and only security forces can use it.

A heavy police deployment has been made in Beas town.

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