Post-Election Violence: 13-Year-Old Shot, Man Stabbed in Separate Incidents

Child Shot in Punhana Electoral Violence 

A day after the polling concluded, Punhana's Jaiwant village witnessed severe violence as rival political groups clashed using sticks and firearms. The most tragic consequence was the shooting of a 13-year-old boy who was simply playing in the street when he got caught in the crossfire. The child is currently in critical condition, and videos of the incident have gone viral on social media. Police arrived at the scene promptly to control the situation. 

Political Rivalries Behind the Violence

The clash erupted between supporters of independent candidate Raheesa Khan and Congress candidate Mohammad Ilyas. The village has long-standing tensions between two factions - the Hakam group and the Mubarik group. While the Mubarik group supported independent candidate Raheesa Khan, the current sarpanch and Hakam group backed Congress candidate Mohammad Ilyas. These rivalries escalated into violence following verbal disputes during Saturday's polling. 

Stabbing Incident in Panipat

In a separate incident in Panipat's Kurad village, electoral tensions led to a violent assault. Jagroshan (23) was attacked with a knife while going to a medical store. The accused, identified as Shubham and Kaku, allegedly ambushed him near Kashyap Chaupal. The attack was reportedly motivated by the victim's refusal to vote for their preferred candidate during the elections.

Pattern of Electoral Violence

The victim in the Panipat incident revealed that the attackers had previously pressured him to vote for a specific candidate. When he refused, they initially engaged in verbal confrontation on polling day, followed by the physical attack. The assailants threatened to kill him if he spoke about the incident. Police have registered a case based on the victim's complaint.

The incidents highlight a disturbing pattern of post-election violence in Haryana, raising concerns about public safety and the need for stricter security measures during and after elections.