SIX PEOPLE DIE AT POLLING BOOTH ACROSS KERALA: READ WHY

Kerala goes to polls today, where enthusiastic voters queued at several booths even before 7:00 am. The polling in the state officially began for the third phase of the ongoing Lok Sabha polls. Several people who cast their vote or lined up to do so, collapsed and died including two polling officers, too, who reportedly collapsed while on duty and have been shifted to hospital.

According to The News Minute, voters had started lined up at polling booths even before polling started at 7:00 am on Tuesday. Though there has been light showers in some parts of the state, Kerala is still experiencing sweltering summer heat. Kannur constituency reported two deaths.

Venugopal Marar, who had just reached home after casting his vote at a polling booth collapsed. Although he was taken to a local hospital but he could not be saved. Mudoli Vijayi, a 65-year-old woman, collapsed and died as she was standing in the queue at the polling booth Chokli Ramavilasam School in Vadakara.

Media reports further states that, in Kollam constituency, a 63-year-old man, identified as Mani, could not find his name in the voter’s list and was discussing the same with the polling officials at the Kilikollur LP School in Eravipuram constituency when he fainted. He later died while being taken to hospital.

Thressyakkutti (87) from Parappuram fainted in a booth near Kalady in Ernakulam constituency. She was getting a voting slip and entering the room when she collapsed. She was taken to a private hospital in Kanjoor but died on the way. Chacko Mathai (86) from Pezhumpara near Ranni in Pathanamthitta constituency died as soon as he entered the polling booth to vote in Vadasserikkara panchayat in Pezhumpara.

According to Manorama News, two polling officers, too, collapsed while on duty. The voter turnout in Kerala at 4:00 pm on Tuesday was recorded at 55.78%. The voter turnout in Kerala has crossed 50% mark with Thrissur leading with 55.72%. A snake was found at a polling booth in Kannur's Kandakai. Polling resumed after the snake was caught.