Lok Sabha Election Results 2019: Kanhaiya, Giriraj supporters clash in Begusarai; forces deployed to maintain peace

Supporters of two political parties reportedly clashed in Begusarai on counting day. The altercation began while supporters of BJP's Giriraj Singh were celebrating his victory over Kanhaiya Kumar of CPI(M) from the Begusarai Lok Sabha constituency.

Reports suggest that Singh's supporters lighted firecrackers outside Kanhaiya's office in Patel Chowk area in Begusarai after trends showed the BJP candidate in lead. The situation escalated with both parties ending up pelting stones at each other. The injured were taken to hospital for medical attention.

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"It has been done on the instruction of Kanhaiya Kumar. He claims that he wants to save democracy but this type of violence makes it clear that what his real intentions are," Awdhesh Kumar, one of the injured Giriraj Singh supporter, told India Today.

In response, Kanhaiya blamed Singh's supporters of initiating hostilities. "The BJP supporters started lighting crackers in front of our office to which a few of our people requested that do it little ahead. Then they came and started pelting stones on our office. When candidates win, they distribute laddoos, but BJP is distributing stones," he told India Today.

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Meanwhile, State Rapid Action Force personnel have been deployed to maintain law and order in the area. Shopkeepers have been asked to shut down their shops and people trying to cause trouble are being detained, the report further said.

In an advisory on Wednesday, the Ministry of Home Affairs had alerted the state chief secretaries and DGPs (director generals of police) about the possibility of violence in different parts of the country on the counting day. In its statement, the ministry had asked states and the Union Territories to maintain law and order, peace and public tranquillity.

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