Mumbai, February 1: The third municipal corporation elections in Ulhasnagar was by and large peaceful barring one incidence of violence where an angry mob ransacked two polling booths at Ward no 27 forcing the authorities to suspend polling for some time. However, the total percentage of polling recorded in the town was 45 and 12 cases of bogus voting have been detected.

Polling in Ward no 27 was disrupted when a mob turned violent and attacked police officials and damaged voting machines. About 15 people, including Sanjay alias Babbu Bhatija (NCP)—a close aide of local MLA Suresh alias Papu Kalani—were arrested by the police for rioting and damaging three voting machines—two in Samaj Mandir booth and one in Rotary Garden booth, and assaulting police officials. According to police, a constable had tried to fire in the air to quell the mob but the firearm misfired.

Congress candidate Godumal Krishnani blamed his rival Bhatija for the disruption. Krishnani claimed that the polls were suspended for about two hours that inconvenienced the voters and consequently caused loss to the candidates like him.

State Election Commissioner Nand Lal told Newsline that the authorities had taken cognisance of the disruption of polls in Ulhasnagar and the miscreants had been arrested by the police. He added that time lost due to disruption was just half an hour and assured that all voters who got into the polling booth queue by 5.30 pm would be allowed to cast their votes. Elections in this Sindhi-dominated township is being held for 75 civic wards out of the 76. Elections to one ward (No 46) was postponed due to the death of Congress candidate Mohan Behrani on January 26. Ulhasnagar has a voter strength of 3.75 lakh and currently the civic body is ruled by NCP-RPI alliance led by MLA Suresh alias Papu Kalani.