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By-poll in AP passes off peacefully

Syed Amin Jafri in Hyderabad

The assembly by-election in Sirpur constituency in the Naxalite-affected Adilabad district of Andhra Pradesh passed off peacefully today with voters turning out in large numbers to cast their franchise.

According to an official spokesman in Hyderebad, as many as 65 per cent of the 149,000 registered voters exercised their franchise in the constituency, amidst tight security arrangements. "The polling has been incident-free," the spokesman added.

The by-poll was necessitated following the killing of Telugu Desam Party candidate and sitting legislator Palvai Purushottam Rao alongwith his three gunmen in his home town on September 15 by Naxalites belonging to the outlawed People's War Group.

The ruling TDP had nominated the slain legislator's wife Palvai Rajya Lakshmi. Her main opponent was Koneru Konappa of the Congress and K V Narayana Rao, an independent.

Security forces had made elaborate arrangements at the 188 polling stations. As many as 1,200 police personnel were deployed in 90 villages which were identified as sensitive.

The Naxalites had triggered a landmine blast killing a head constable of AP Special Police and injuring another constable on Sunday evening.

The incident triggered an exchange of fire between 20 APSP men and a group of 30 Naxalites belonging to the Sirpur and Chennur dalams of the PWG.

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