Patna, July 10 : Four persons including an SHO were injured during the clashes which broke out between people and police during the bypoll in the Rupauli assembly segment in Bihar on Wednesday.

The injured officer, identified as Tarkeshwar Prasad Singh, SHO of Bhawanipur police station, was deployed at polling booths number 75 and 76 in Bhangra Madhya Vidyalaya under the jurisdiction of Bhawanipur block.

He has been admitted to Bhawanipur Government Hospital for treatment. A police officer confirmed the clashes and the injury to the SHO.

The people allege that the district police forcibly stopped them from polling their votes, leading to a scuffle that escalated into stone-pelting. The district police, however, have denied these allegations.

RJD candidate Bima Bharti accused Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar of orchestrating lathi charges on RJD workers and booth agents to influence the election in favour of the JD(U) candidate.

Another incident was reported in Gorier village, where the wife of independent candidate Shankar Singh accused the police of initiating a lathi charge on voters. She sat on a dharna, but the situation soon stabilised while voting also resumed.

Till 3 pm, election officials said that despite violent incidents, Rupauli witnessed 42.19 voter turnout.

Following the incident, District Magistrate Kundan Kumar and Superintendent of Police Upendranath Verma visited the assembly segment to assess the situation.

The main contenders in Rupauli are Bima Bharti of RJD, Kaladhar Mandal of JD(U), and independent candidate Shankar Singh.

Over 3 lakh voters will decide the fate of 11 candidates.

/IANS