Saturday, April 18, 2009

Asaduddin Owaisi booked for beating polling agent



Hyderabad, April 17

The Andhra Pradesh police today filed a case against Hyderabad MP and Majlis Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM) strongman Asaduddin Owaisi for beating up a polling agent of Telugu Desam Party (TDP) during the polling in city yesterday.

Owaisi, who is seeking re-election from the state capital, was caught on camera thrashing up a political rival in full public view near a polling station in the Sultan Shahi area in the old city.

A case of rioting was booked against him at Moghalpura police station. The cases have been booked under IPC Sections 147 (rioting), 448 (trespass), 324 (voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapons) 188 (disobedience to order promulgated by public servant) and Section 132 of the Representation of People Act.

The TDP polling agent Syed Saleemuddin was beaten with a stick after a word was spread that he was distributing money to the voters near a polling station. The footage of Owaisi, along with his followers, chasing the TDP worker was aired on local television news channels.

“It is a law and order problem and the police will deal with the case accordingly, the state Chief Electoral Officer IV Subba Rao said.

The first phase of polling, covering 22 Lok Sabha seats, including Hyderabad and 154 Assembly constituencies, was held yesterday.

Hyderabad has been a traditional bastion of MIM. However, Owaisi is facing a tough contest this time around as he is pitted against Zahid Ali Khan, a noted journalist and editor of local Urdu daily Siasat. Khan is supported by the four-party opposition alliance comprising TDP, Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS), CPI and CPM.

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