Five arrested for stealing old ballot boxes

Shiggavi: In a recent breakthrough, the police have arrested five individuals in connection with the theft of old ballot boxes. The arrested persons have been identified as Santosh Malagi, Ganesh Harijan, Muthappa Devihosuru, Krishna Harijan, and Mohammad Javid. The police recovered 27 ballot boxes and one auto rickshaw used in the theft.

The theft came to light when local villagers discovered 10 old ballot boxes in a canal near Yattinahalli village in Haveri taluk. This raised concerns and suspicions among the villagers. The discovery was particularly alarming as the Shiggaon by-election had concluded just four days ago. The theft of the ballot boxes has sparked widespread discussion in the district.

The accused had reportedly broken into an APMC warehouse and stolen the ballot boxes. The police operation that led to the arrest of the five individuals has been lauded for its efficiency.

Local residents alerted the district administration after spotting the ballot boxes. Officials, including Additional Deputy Commissioner L. Ramesh, Assistant Commissioner H.B. Channappa, and Tehsildar Sharannamma Khari, along with the Haveri City Police, visited the scene to conduct an investigation. They confirmed that the warehouse door had been broken into, further corroborating the theft attempt. An FIR was subsequently filed by the Tehsildar at the Haveri Town Police Station.

The discovery of the ballot boxes occurred just one day after the conclusion of the Shiggaon by-election, which had caused significant concern among the public. Abdul Hubballi, a local resident of Yattinahalli, said, “I found these ballot boxes while I was on my morning walk and immediately alerted the authorities. They appeared to be old, worn-out boxes used during the village panchayat elections.” further investigations are underway. Tehsildar has been instructed to conduct a thorough investigation into the matter. Deputy Commissioner Vijay Mahantesh Dammannavar stated that there is no connection between the Shiggaon by-election and the theft incident.