Militants attacked a polling booth and killed five persons including a CRPF constable and a civilian on the eve of the Manipur assembly elections today. Polling officials said 82 per cent of polling was recorded in the violence-marred elections.

Two persons were also injured when the militants raided a polling station in an interior area in Sugnu assembly constituency in Chandel district when the polling was in motion.

Chief electoral officer P. C. Lawmkunga told journalists that 82 per cent of the voters exercised their franchise from a total of 17.40 lakh electorate. “The complete information is yet to be received and voting figures may vary marginally,” he said.

In some areas, police had recovered bombs suspected to have been planted by militants and defused them.

A total of 12,967 polling personnel performed duties in about 2357 polling stations during the poll process which was guarded by around 35,000 security personnel including 27,000 from central Para-military forces. (JUBS)