Unusual Intoxication! Youth Swallows Ballot Paper During Odisha Panchayat Polls; Detained

The incident occurred at Nagapali village under Mayurudan Gram Panchayat in Sonepur district where a youth identified as Balgopal Meghani reportedly in an inebriated state swallowed a ballot paper when the voting was underway at the polling station.

Following the incident, voting was halted for around one hour.

Reportedly, the youth had come to the booth to cast his vote. Neither the security personnel nor the polling officials were aware of the fact that he was in inebriated condition.

On receiving information, police rushed to the polling station and detained the accused youth, informed Sonepur IIC Niranjan Dash.

The voting resumed at the centre after polling squad reached there for inspection.