Clashes broke out between police and protseters over local body polls in Nagaland
At least two people have died and over 10 injured in clashes between police and protesters since Tuesday Night in many cities of Nagaland over reservation for Women in the Urban local bodies polls.
Violence broke out after the protesters forcefully tried to enter the residence of Chief Minister TR Zeliang last night. Two people were killed and many were injured in police action. Curfew was imposed in the state's commercial capital Dimapur, Nagaland DGP LL Doungel told NDTV.
Authorities have also blocked mobile internet services in the state for indefinite period and additional security has been put in place to contain the situation.
Polling were held in some places today amid tension in the state.
Protesters from several Naga tribals groups have formed a Joint Coordination Committee (JCC), which has been agitating for the past one month including a series of bandh across the state asking the state government not to go ahead with the polls since they feel 33 per cent reservation for women. They claim that it is an encroachment on the special protection that Nagaland has under article 371(A) of the Constitution that allows them to follow customary law which do not give women any political right.
The state government on Monday had decided to postpone the polls, but on Tuesday Gauhati High Court ordered the Nagaland government to conduct the polls on Wednesday.
According to state government sources, polling took place for some urban local bodies of the total 32 in the state, In rest places, the polls were postponed after the protests.