MITHI, May 16: On the directives of the Mirpurkhas DIG, 29 cases have been registered at more than 50 police stations against over 200 unidentified suspects for setting election material on fire, snatching ballot boxes, holding polling staff hostage and casting fake votes on May 11 in Tharparkar.

According to sources, 13 cases have been registered at the Khainsar police station against 87 people, seven at the Chhachhro police station against 87 people, seven at the Nagarparkar police station against 36 suspects and one against 20 people of the Arbab group.

Before polls, many contesting candidates had demanded that keeping in view the highly-sensitive status of majority polling stations, the district administration should deploy adequate security staff there. The authorities concerned neglected the demand, and posted one policeman and one volunteer (Razakar) at most of the rural polling stations.

Consequently armed men believed to be henchmen of influential local people torched record of more than 16 polling stations and snatched record from the staff of 27 polling stations of PS-60, PS-61, PS-62, PS-63, NA-229 and NA-230. Thus, official results of all the six constituencies have not yet been declared.

Meanwhile, SSPs of Umerkot and Mirpurkhas arrived in Chhachhro and recorded statements of three under suspension SHOs of Nagarparkar, Chhachhro and Khainsar. They also investigated police officials /sector-in-charges who did not perform duty on May 11.

When contacted, Mirpurkhas ADIG Abid Qaimkhani told Dawn that police had initiated a thorough investigation into these cases and lawful action would be taken against those found involved in those cases.—BoC